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The former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, says becoming Nigeria’s president is his lifelong ambition.
He said this after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.
According to him, Buhari did not ask him to discard his political ambition.
The National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, says his visit to the Presidential Villa on Monday offered him the opportunity to formally inform President Muhammadu Buhari of his Presidential ambition in 2023.
When asked how the President responded to his declaration, Tinubu said, “He is a democrat. He didn’t ask me to stop, he didn’t ask me not to attempt and pursue my ambition. It is a lifelong ambition. You are running a democratic dispensation and you must adopt the principles and values and virtues of democracy.”
Tinubu said he’s qualified to make Nigeria better.
“I don’t want to discuss individuals now, I must discuss myself. I have the confidence, vision and capacity to build on the foundation of the President and turn Nigeria better. I have done that with commitment and yielding zeal in Lagos State.
“You have seen that experience and capacity to turn things around and that is also what we are doing. The confusion and drift of the past in PDP are being corrected as we are today. Going back to the data of how many barrels of oil we were producing when we took over and what we have today.
“You now see excellent infrastructure. Let us think back and be intellectually inquisitive as to the past and the present as well as what the future holds for Nigeria,” he added.
The former Lagos governor dodged the question of a potential race for the APC ticket between him and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, whose support groups have been mobilising for his candidacy.
Tinubu’s presidential ambition a huge joke -Bode George
Peoples Democratic Party stalwart, Chief Bode George, has described the presidential ambition of All Progressives Congress leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as a huge joke.
George said this during a chat with The PUNCH on Monday while reacting to Tinubu’s decision to inform the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of his intention to contest.
“This so-called ambition must be a huge joke. The Presidency of Nigeria is not for characters like Bola Tinubu. Look at how he mismanaged the resources of Lagos State. It is surprising that he can even dream of becoming the President of Nigeria. He is living in cuckoo land,” said George.
The former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP said Tinubu would be shocked by how things will go and how he will be double-crossed by those he is trusting.
George said the South-West had quality leaders who could produce the next President of Nigeria. He, however, said Tinubu was not one of them.
He said it would be an insult for the South-West, which is the most sophisticated region in the country, to settle for Tinubu.
George also said it was unfortunate that a hallowed ground like the Presidential Villa would be the location for Tinubu to declare his ambition.
‘No rule says kingmaker can’t become king’ — Tinubu speaks on presidential ambition
Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state, says there is no rule preventing a kingmaker from becoming king.
Tinubu played a role in the merger of different parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the subsequent emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari as the party’s candidate in 2015, thus earning him the moniker.
The APC chieftain on Monday said he had informed Buhari about his intention to run for the presidency in 2023.
Fielding questions from reporters after meeting with Buhari at the presidential villa, Tinubu said he would pursue his ambition without the title of “kingmaker”.
“About the cap of kingmaker. I have never seen the cap of a kingmaker before,” he said.
“That is the truth and I have never seen where it is written in the rule book anywhere in any country that a kingmaker cannot be a king – unless you commit murder.
“So, whatever is your attribute [of me] is your own opinion. Me, I want to pursue my ambition without the title of a kingmaker. You can write your literature and story based on your own perception.”
The former governor said Buhari is not stopping him from pursuing his lifelong ambition to be Nigeria’s president.
“He (Buhari) is a democrat. He didn’t ask me to stop. He didn’t ask me not to attempt and pursue my lifelong ambition,” he said.
“So, why do I expect him to say more than that? You are running a democratic dispensation, and you must adopt the principles and the values and virtues of democracy. That’s it.”
The former Lagos governor said he has the capacity to govern Nigeria.
“I have the confidence, the vision, the capacity to rule, build on the foundation of Mr. President, and turn Nigeria better,” he said.
“In Lagos state, you’ve seen that experience and the capacity to turn things around and that is what we are doing.”
