Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has denied the claim by Senator Aminu Tambuwal, former Governor of Sokoto State, that he was informed prior to Tambuwal’s withdrawal in favor of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the 2022 presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The primary was held inside the arena of the National Stadium in Abuja.
In a statement issued by his Media Office and signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki addressed Tambuwal’s assertion made during an interview on Arise TV’s ‘Untold Stories With Adesuwa’. Saraki clarified that Tambuwal never discussed his withdrawal with him and that he was as surprised as everyone else at the convention when Tambuwal returned to the podium to announce his withdrawal after having initially addressed the delegates to seek their votes.
“I need to set the record straight,” Saraki’s statement read. “When I saw Tambuwal returning to the podium after he had earlier addressed the delegates to canvass for their votes, I wondered what was happening. His announcement that he had withdrawn from the race and that the delegates who were supporting him should vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar took me by surprise.”
Saraki emphasized that Tambuwal is his friend but insisted that Tambuwal must take responsibility for his own decisions and actions. He reiterated that he never contemplated withdrawing his own candidature and had no part in the decision process that led to Tambuwal’s withdrawal in favor of Atiku.
