TheCable

Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto state, has denied the claim of Ahmed Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he left the ruling party because he could not be given automatic ticket in 2019.

Tinubu had said on Sunday that Tambuwal and Senate President Bukola Saraki left the APC because they were afraid to test the strength of their popularity in a primary election.

According to him, “Governor Tambuwal’s exit can be distilled to one cause. He covets the presidency. However, he had not the stomach to challenge President Buhari in a primary.”

But reacting on Monday, Tambuwal said contrary to Tinubu’s statement, he left the party because of the failure of the current administration.

He also said he has what it takes to contest against Buhari if he had wanted to run under the APC.

“If I wanted to and if the presidency is what Ahmed Tinubu thinks I defected, I could contest with President Buhari under the APC. I have what it takes to have contested with Mr. President,” he said while addressing Sokoto residents.

“Tinubu tried to rock the boat when he was denied Buhari’s vice presidency. He thinks every other person could behave his way. If I wanted to contest under the APC as president, I could have done so and only the votes could have produced a winner.

“In any case, Tinubu is confessing that there is no level-playing ground for all members of the APC; that there is no internal democracy in it and that some people were denied their right to internal democracy.

“I adduced reasons of my defection to the PDP. The reasons are still on record. Automatic ticket by the APC is certainly not part of that.”

“Tinubu tried to rock the boat when he was denied Buhari’s vice Presidency. He thinks every other person could behave his way. If I wanted to contest under the APC as president, I could have done so and only the votes could have produced a winner".

— Sokoto Government House (@SokotoGovtHouse) August 20, 2018

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@AWTambuwal stressed that while addressing the people of Sokoto State and by implication, Nigerians, he stated his reasons for leaving the party none of which was “automatic ticket.”

— Sokoto Government House (@SokotoGovtHouse) August 20, 2018