Politics

We’ll work for Tinubu’s victory – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged full support for the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

He spoke on Monday in Katsina State when he paid a courtesy visit to the palace of the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir Usman.

Buhari called on the traditional ruler at the Emirate Council to canvass votes and mobilise support for the APC flagbearer.

The president said; “We are here to present our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Asiwaju has been chosen by our party, and we are fully in support of his candidature, and we will work for his victory at the polls”.

This comes after the Federal Government had said that President Buhari was neither favouring nor disfavouring any presidential candidate in the run up to the 2023 general elections.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, stated this in reaction to Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s allegation that ‘Aso villa forces’ are working against the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Mohammed, who addressed pressmen on Wednesday, February 1 after the weekly Federal Executive Council, dismissed the allegation.

El-Rufai had said during a Channels TV programme that the persons in question were aggrieved that Tinubu defeated their candidate in the June 2022 APC presidential primary.

He said; “I believe there are elements in the Villa that want us to lose the election because they didn’t get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries.

“They are trying to get us to lose the election, and they are hiding behind the President’s desire to do what he thinks is right. I will give two examples: this petroleum subsidy, which is costing the country trillions of Naira, was something that we all agreed would be removed…”

In reaction, the minister said President Buhari was focused on delivering free and fair elections to Nigerians and not working against any candidate ahead of the February 25 election.

Mohammed said; “On a more serious note, one thing I can assure you is that, no matter who, this administration is focused and determined to ensure a free and fair election. And I think this administration, and for that matter now, the most important person in this regard is Mr. President. I think he has shown by words and deed that he is committed to a free, fair and credible election. And fair, free and credible elections mean not favouring or disfavouring anybody.

“Everywhere he goes, he makes that very clear, even as recently as Friday, when he was in Daura. He said the same thing. So if there’s anybody who’s working against any candidate, we don’t know officially”.