Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday, June 27, opened up on his rumored 2023 presidential ambition and the removal of Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman of the party.
This was contained in a comprehensive statement, with Tinubu detailing events behind the scenes that led to the dissolution of the party’s national working committee (NWC).
The former Lagos State governor explained that Oshiomhole made some mistakes which led to his ouster.
Tinubu opined that Oshiomhole “tried his best” while overseeing the affairs of the party for two years but he was not proactive enough to stem the eventual crisis that bedeviled the party.
Further, he said the erstwhile national chairman must own up to mistakes made during his tenure.
Some members went against their chairman in a bid to forcefully oust him. In hindsight, his fence-mending attempts were perhaps too little too late,” Tinubu said.
“I believed and continue to believe that Comrade Oshiomhole tried his best. Mistakes were made and he must own them. Yet, we must remember also that he was an able and enthusiastic campaigner during the 2019 election.
”He is a man of considerable ability as are the rest of you who constituted the NWC.”
No decision made on 2023 Presidential race
Tinubu further lambasted those who said the outcome of President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention in the crisis shattered his presidential ambition.
Specifically, he described the claims as “distasteful”; saying he has made no decision regarding the next presidential election.
He said: “I am but a mere mortal who does not enjoy the length of foresight or political wisdom you profess to have. Already, you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born.
“At this extenuating moment with COVID-19 and its economic fallout hounding us, I cannot see as far into the distance as you. I have made no decision regarding 2023 for the concerns of this hour are momentous enough.
“During this period, I have not busied myself with politicking regarding 2023. I find that a bit distasteful and somewhat uncaring; particularly when so many of our people have been unbalanced by the twin public health and economic crises we face.”
APC members must unite behind Buhari
Meanwhile, Tinubu has commended Buhari’s intervention; saying the president “cares about the condition of the party as any parent would care for its offspring”.
“With lawsuits so, numerous one needed a spreadsheet to keep track; President Buhari has reasonably decided that he has seen enough. I do not lament his intervention or its outcome.
“I lament that the situation degenerated to the point where he felt compelled to intervene,” he said.
He said what is worrisome was that “so many trusted people acted in such a way as to force the president to put aside the issues of statecraft; in order to address these problems”.
“The President has spoken and his decision has been accepted. It is now beholden on all of us, as members of the APC; to recommit ourselves to the ideals and principles on which our party was founded.”