Tinubu finally opens up on holding a meeting with G-5 governors in London
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, said he didn’t hold any meeting with the G-5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in London, the United Kingdon.
Tinubu disclosed this on Saturday, and warned those writing unsubstantiated articles and peddling rumours about him to desist forthwith.
Recall that the G-5 governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state have been at loggerheads with the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Apart from Governor Nyesom Wike, other G-5 governors’ members were Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.
The crisis started immediately after Wike lost the PDP presidential primary election to Atiku.
The Rivers governor has since then requested the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, for being a northerner like Atiku.
Wike and the other four aggrieved PDP governors said it would be unfair to the South that the presidential candidate of the party and its national chairman are both from the North.
Since then, efforts to placate the governors to support Atiku have been abortive, as they threatened to work for another presidential candidate from the South, starting from January 2023.
On Wednesday, the governors had jetted to the United Kingdom over what may have been described as a strategic meeting and alleged meet with former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu.
But Tinubu said he didn’t hold any meetings with the G-5 governors in London.
He, however, added that he was entitled to meeting any political actor or stakeholder that is important to his campaign and plans for the country and who desires to engage with him.
In a statement issued by his Media Office and signed by Mr Tunde Rahman said the media report about the purported meeting as reports was, to say the least, in bad faith but also evil intentioned
He noted that he was resolutely focused on his campaign objectives which are geared towards achieving victory in the upcoming presidential election in order to deliver the APC’s Action Plan aimed at giving Renewed Hope to our people in all facets of their lives.
The APC Presidential candidate stated categorically that he was neither bothered by these articles nor by their sponsors who are well known.
Tinubu said the truth with respect to his present itinerary was that he came to London on Boxing Day, Monday, December 26, 2022, to spend a few days preparing for his trip to Saudi Arabia.
He explained that after spending some time in London, he has now proceeded to Mecca where he is at present observing Umrah
Tinubu stated: “As usual with him when the year is coming to an end to take time off his busy schedules, take a little rest and proceed to Saudi Arabia to observe Umrah(Lesser Hajj), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in London during the week en route Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
“While in the United Kingdom, Asiwaju Tinubu noted some articles in some national newspapers in Nigeria, alleging a secret meeting was held in London between him and the G-5 governors who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“These reports, to say the least, are not only in bad faith but also evil intentioned. They were published to advance the political interests of the writers and their sponsors.”
He added: “But we must point out that the APC candidate is entitled to meeting any political actor or stakeholder that is important to his campaign and plans for the country and that desires to engage with him.”
The former Lagos State governor said he was scheduled to return to the country within the next two days to continue with the campaign.
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