Tinubu Recants, Seeks Fence Mending Over ‘Bragging’ Comments

• Says ‘speech didn’t disrespect President Buhari, North’

BY VICTOR BUORO – Less than 48 hours after bragging about his input in making Muhammadu Buhari Nigeria’s president in 2015 and claims of surrendering his right for Yemi Osinbajo to become the Vice President, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu may have backed down on the boastful comments

This follows the heavy backlashes that have continued to trail the torrid comments made during his recent engagement with APC delegates and stakeholders in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Even within his somewhat impregnable and cohesive Campaign Organisation, Tinubu has not been spared some blushes with a close associate and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal describing the contentious remarks as ‘bullshit’, because he (Tinubu) was not the only person that made the difference in 2015.

However, ahead of Monday’s presidential primaries in Abuja, the former Lagos State Governor now seems pensive, clarifying that his presidential ambition’s speech does not in any way demonstrate disrespect to the President and the Northern region.

In a move clearly considered by some APC stakeholders as a conscious effort at insulating his presidential project from possible political hurt, Asiwaju Tinubu said at no time he did play any ethnic card or denigrate any ethnic group during the meeting with delegates.

Conveying the obviously sober position of their aspirant, the Director of Media and Communications, Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation (TPCO), Bayo Onanuga said in a statement on Friday that it is unfortunate the comments have been seriously turned and twisted out of context by some mischief-makers.

The TPCO explained that the main thrust of Tinubu’s presentation in Ogun State was that his huge contributions to the formation and electoral success of APC should count in his favour, as a true party man who desires to be the flag bearer.

“That is surely out of his character, as Engineer David Babachir Lawal, attested in his viral WhatsApp statement. Tinubu’s speech did not demonstrate any disrespect to Buhari for whom he has very high regard, and whose re-election campaign he chaired in 2019.

“Since the video of the speech he delivered in Yoruba hit the social media, varied interpretations have been given to the speech, which in the main was about Governor Abiodun, who in the true tradition of Yoruba culture bowed to his leader after Tinubu’s short speech,” the statement said.

According to Onanuga, the fresh conditions proposed by President Buhari for the consideration of the Party’s presidential candidate made it necessary for Asiwaju to labour in convincing the delegates that he fits the bill.

Describing the interpretation given to Tinubu’s address in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Thursday as “erroneous, misleading and mischievous”, Onanuga however, said the Tinubu campaign is not surprised why the opposition in the APC has decided to turn and twist the statement.

“We are least surprised that he is the target of well-calculated and most unkind virulent attacks,” the TPCO statement said, stressing that the former Lagos governor is a great party man and remains the man to beat at the party’s convention on Monday.

The TPCO explained that; “In his effort to convince the party delegates to vote for him at the primaries, he went down memory lane to provide specific instances when he brought his political clout and strategic skills to assist individuals, groups, and tendencies in the party to gain political power.

“These factual references are already in the public realm. They have been reported and analysed in the media in the last eight years. They are therefore matters of public knowledge”

Turning to the media, the TPCO pleaded for understanding, saying it is imperative that the media avoid over-sensationalising issues of facts while playing its constitutional role of informing the electorate to make informed choices at the presidential primaries.