Kano State Editor-in-Chief of Daily Nigerian, Jaafar Jaafar, has revealed why some cabals in the presidency are against the presidential ambition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer, Bola Tinubu.
Jaafar had earlier revealed the names of those believed to be the ‘Aso Rock elements’ who want Tinubu to fail in the election.
In an interview with PUNCH, Jaafar disclosed the cabals had planned to impose the senate president, Ahmed Lawal but they failed and became aggrieved after Tinubu won the APC presidential ticket.
He pointed out that the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is clearly not in support of the party’s ticket because of his faith and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has also distanced himself from Tinubu’s campaign.
The publisher further revealed that the decision to support Tinubu was a written agreement and if he fails the Northerners will be considered saboteurs who do not keep to an agreement.
He said: “In the initial stage, Tinubu was not their preferred candidate; they planned to impose Senator Ahmed Lawan and that plan failed. So, after the plan failed, they became aggrieved even after Tinubu emerged victorious; he didn’t get much support from them. Ahmed Lawan was their preferred candidate.
“There are some that are still not with Tinubu; it is clear that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (Abubakar Malami SAN) did not involve himself in the campaign and you can also see people like Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who is clearly not supporting the ticket. He did not come out to say it publicly, but he is clearly not supporting it. Somebody very close to him was even telling me that as a devout Catholic, he cannot support the Muslim-Muslim ticket; probably, that is his reason for not supporting Tinubu.
“You see, northern governors are the ones supporting Tinubu, especially the APC governors. For instance, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano and El-Rufai are all clearly coming out to support their candidate. For me, I’m not saying I’m supporting Atiku, Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, Peter Obi or Tinubu. I’m only analysing the situation based on the reality on the ground. The major problem Tinubu’s presidency will create is that the North is treacherous. Once Tinubu fails, the North will be seen as a region that does not honour agreements because there is a written agreement that after Buhari finishes, Tinubu will take over, that power will shift to the South, particularly the South-West.
“So if Tinubu fails, the North will be seen as saboteurs. Other regions will be eating with the North with long spoons; they will think that any political agreement reached with the North, at the end of the day, will betray you. As a northerner, I may not like the North to be seen in that way. Tinubu should understand that it is not the entire North that is against him. At least, the northern governors have rallied around him. If the people of the North do not want him, at least, he should not see that as a northern conspiracy against the South. It is not like that.”
