Bukola Saraki, former president of the senate, says
“national interest” is the reason he opposed a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 polls.
Saraki said this on Friday, in response to comments made by
Bola Tinubu, former Lagos governor and presidential hopeful, on Thursday.
Tinubu had said the likes of the former senate president
opposed his desire to be the running mate of President Muhammadu Buhari for the
2015 elections.
But in a statement on Friday by Yusuph Olaniyonu, his
spokesman, Saraki urged Tinubu to look beyond self-interest in his ambition to
become president.
“When I and other
leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014, stood against having a
Muslim-Muslim ticket, it was not a decision targeted at any individual or
group, but one taken in the national interest,” he said.
“Asiwaju knows this and he is just being mischievous by
presenting this decision as something aimed at stopping his ambition.
“Let me make it clear that the decision to oppose the plans
by some people to make APC present a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2015 was in the
national interest and I will take the same stand today, tomorrow, and any other
day.
“My stance is based
on the fact that such a ticket is not good for the unity of the country and
will further accentuate one of our fault lines.
“Even Asiwaju Tinubu knows that I am a man who does not shy
away from standing for what is right. He knows that I don’t follow the crowd
and I take a stand based on my conviction of what is good for the country and
what is not good for her. It is also obvious that I have paid prices for this
stand.
“The opposition to a Muslim-Muslim ticket was not targeted
at Tinubu or any other person. It was a decision that even all party leaders
know helped the victory of the party and also worked for the unity of the
country.
“That decision is not about self but national and collective
interests. It is a decision which served the purpose of the people of Nigeria
and I have no regret supporting it.
“Despite calling
himself a democrat, he continued to support every effort to frustrate the
eighth national assembly and thwart its efforts to provide good representation
to Nigeria. He was the architect of several moves that set the Presidency on a
collision course with the national assembly.
“At a time, he would twist issues and make false claims in
his quarterly press statements aimed at making the national assembly under my
leadership look bad.
“Now, Nigerians know the truth. We can only urge Senator
Tinubu to look at the bigger picture on all matters and stop viewing all issues
within the prism of his ambition and personal interest.”
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