TINUBU WON’T BACK BUHARI AGAINST ATIKU – EX-VP’S AIDE

Former Vice President and presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has denied the report that a former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, is lobbying for another aspirant and former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd).

He said Tinubu would not make such moves, as the ex-Lagos State governor remained an elder statesman that would not be involved in favouritism.

A national newspaper had reported on Wednesday that Tinubu, who is allegedly backing Buhari’s candidacy, might be picked as the General’s running mate.

Atiku’s media adviser, Mr. Garba Shehu, who spoke to our correspondent on Friday, said it was expected that the leadership of the APC would be divided by the contest between the ex-vice president and Buhari.

Shehu said, “It is expected; there will be people who will support Gen. Buhari and there will be those who will support Atiku. The party is not a military organisation. There is no regimentation and there will be no forced opinion on anyone.

“We have no knowledge of that (Tinubu’s support for Buhari); we have no evidence of that. All we know is that he has resolved to play the role of a statesman and to stay above the fray. There is nothing on ground to suggest to us that Tinubu has moved away from that position.”

Atiku’s spokesperson also denied reports that a recent statement by the ex-vice president suggested that Buhari is a fanatic.

In what reports described as a veiled reference to Buhari, Atiku had in a statement issued on October 2, 2014 said, “I believe that the next president of our country, who, by the grace of God, will be produced by our great party, must be someone who is a unifier, bridge-builder and not someone who bears ethno-religious bias. Above all, he must embody a vision of a Nigeria for all.”

Shehu, however, denied that the statement was targeted at Buhari.

He said, “We did not say that. If you read our statement, it is not saying that. If you go to the market and make a general abusive statement, if somebody raises his hands to say ‘I am the one he is referring to,’ that is his own choice.

“I am sure Gen. Buhari himself will agree that the country doesn’t need a fanatic. And we didn’t say he is a fanatic. We never said he is a fanatic; we never said that. If others say he is, that is their view of him. We are happy that the General himself has not raised his hands to say ‘I am the one you’re referring to.”