Former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, don tok clear say e no go contest for 2027 presidential election. E yarn dis matter for Channels Television Politics Today programme for Thursday. Saraki tok say e dey support di idea wey make presidency remain for South for 2027, and e no go run because of dat agreement.
“No, I’m not running for president in 2027,” Saraki tok flat. Wen dem ask am about im presidential ambition wey e don dey show for many years, e admit say e still get di ambition but political fairness don make am change im mind. “I do, I do, I would not lie if I say I don’t,” Saraki answer. “But after di 2023 election… having Nigeria choose to elect President Bola Tinubu from di South, I think we felt dat, look, it’s only fair to allow di South to complete eight years.”
Saraki explain say im Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) don already zone di 2027 presidential ticket to di South. E say e dey among di people wey support dat decision for di party National Executive Committee meeting last year. “To abide by dat decision, I have ruled out contesting,” e add.
Di former Kwara State governor also address mata wey concern im relationship with Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Dem ask am if im friendship with Wike mean say e dey endorse President Bola Tinubu for second term. Saraki answer sharp say: “You can’t extrapolate dat. My friendship is based on what we are going to do about dis party.”
E yarn about im reason for supporting Atiku Abubakar for 2023 election. Saraki tok say for dat time, PDP no zone di presidential ticket to any region. “Because in 2023… di final recommendation of di party allowed it to be open for all,” e explain. But for 2027, di party don change im mind and zone am to South.
About power rotation for Nigeria, Saraki do small mathematics. E tok say if person check di years wey North and South don rule Nigeria, di South get fewer years. “If you do di mathematics… there are fewer years dat di North has been in power than di South. Di numbers support dose who chose to run,” e tok.
Saraki Media Office don come out to dismiss one claim wey Demola Olarewaju, Senior Political Assistant to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, make. Olarewaju don tok for X (formerly Twitter) say Saraki indirect dey endorse Tinubu for second term because of im support for southern presidency. But Saraki office describe di claim as “mischievous, incorrect and misinterpretation of an unambiguous statement made in clear English.”
Yusuph Olaniyonu wey sign di statement for Saraki Media Office tok say: “Dr Saraki, in dat interview, make it clear dat, by im antecedents, e no be person wey go say or do A for afternoon and den go back to do B for night. Nor e dey do things indirectly. Wen di time come, whoever di candidate e go support, e go make am clear to members of di public.”
Saraki office add say di former Senate President don already tok for Channels TV interview say e go wait to see who emerge as PDP presidential candidate before e come out with im endorsement. E also make am clear say for 2031, presidency must go to North and only candidates from North go contest for dat slot.
About PDP internal crisis, Saraki insist say di party still remain formidable political force for Nigeria. E tok say di noise wey people dey hear about PDP leaders disagreement no mean say di party don lose im strength for grassroots. “When you stay here for Abuja, you might say dat because of di noise dat comes out from di leaders having dia disagreement. But when you go out to di states, and you go into di grassroots in different states, you’ll find dat PDP is still very, very strong,” Saraki yarn.
E add: “People still have dis love and dis affiliation for PDP… So yes, there is a lot of noise. But across di country, PDP is still a household name. Is it sellable? It is sellable, very sellable, not only in Kwara, but across di board.”
Saraki also address mata about Kwara State governance and security. E tok say im recent political activities for di state na because e dey worry about how government dey run and di hardship wey people dey face. “It’s not dat I want to win Kwara by all means. I’ve been closer to di people… and I’ve seen di pain dey’ve gone through. I’ve seen di mistakes dat have been made, and di fact dat dey haven’t got di kind of government dey expected, including di hardship and insecurity,” e explain.
Di former governor blame di current security problem for Kwara on government wey no dey watch well. “I believe dat, based on di period when I was governor, dis situation was not like dis. Most of dose bandits have looked for places of least resistance… and found Kwara available because di government took its eye off di ball,” Saraki tok.
About PDP national convention wey hold for Ibadan, Saraki disclose say e initially oppose am but later allow Kwara State delegates to participate after dem promise say Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) go show up. But INEC no show, and Saraki tok say di exercise suppose stop under such condition.
Saraki also address rumour wey dey fly say e dey plan to defect to All Progressives Congress (APC). E dismiss di rumour and reaffirm im commitment to PDP. E explain say im low profile recently na because e no dey contest for any election, not because e don lose interest for party affairs.
For 2027 elections, Saraki advocate for inclusive approach to leadership selection for PDP. E say while presidential ticket go to South, di national chairman position must go to North-Central region to ensure equity. E warn about danger of one-party state for Nigeria and stress say strong opposition remain vital to democracy.
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