Tinubu is being mischievous with claim of why I opposed Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2015 – Saraki

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has responded to a lawsuit by former Lagos Senator Bola Tinubu on why he (Saraki) opposed a Muslim-Muslim ticket to the 2015 All Progressives Congress (APC).

Tinubu was with them during an interview with APC delegates on Thursday June 2 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, accusing Saraki of leading a calumny campaign against his appearance as a running mate in Buhari in the 2015 elections because of his desire to become a Senate. The president.

He said;

“He knew all the numbers (Buhari) and he favored us, which is why he wanted me to be his deputy, but I told him let’s start a team.

“And when we finish building the party after bringing in people from the PDP, Saraki now realizes that those from the PDP will get nothing if Buhari, a Muslim becomes president with me, and a Muslim becomes his deputy, I will not” get a team president and a team president will not they became Muslims, and that is how they started the campaign to criticize me. ”

However, responding to a statement issued by the head of his Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said he did not regret his actions as he and others opposed any plan that would create a religious crisis in a multi-religious country like Nigeria. .

The former Senate President also said his action was in the national interest and would take a similar stand today, tomorrow, or any other day.

Saraki said;

“When I and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014 opposed to having a Muslim-Muslim ticket, it was not a decision directed at any individual or party but taken in the national interest. Asiwaju is aware of this and is making a fuss by presenting this decision as an object aimed at curbing his ambition.

“Let me make it clear that the decision to oppose other people’s plans to get the APC to introduce a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2015 was of national interest and I will take a similar stand today, tomorrow, or any other day. My position is based on the fact that such a ticket is not conducive to national unity and will highlight one of our shortcomings.

“Even Asiwaju Tinubu knows that I am a man who does not hesitate to stand up for what is right. You know I do not follow the crowd and I take a stand based on my belief in what is best for the world and not treat it badly. It is also clear that I have already paid the prices for this stand.

“The opposition to the Islamic-Muslim ticket was not against Tinubu or anyone else. It was a decision they know and the party leaders all helped to secure the party victory and work for national unity. That decision is not personal but national and collective interests.

Expressing surprise that Tinubu had refused to go ahead and was still upset about what happened in 2014, the former Kwara State Governor added that the aspiring APC president was so focused on the Muslim-Muslim ticket issue of 2014 that he worked hard to end his appearance as President of the Senate in retaliatory action. .

Saraki alleges that Tinubu retained the position of opposition to the eighth National Assembly, initiated covert and transparent measures aimed at undermining the state legislature, and set up an executive council against the legislature.

He also accused the former Governor of the Lagos region of twisting the news and making false claims in his quarterly news statements to make the National Assembly under his leadership look bad.

The statement added;

“Despite the call for democracy, it has continued to support all efforts to thwart the eighth national conference and to thwart its efforts to represent Nigeria. He was the initiator of a number of measures that put the Presidency at risk of collusion with the national assembly.

“There has been a time when he has distorted the facts and made false statements in his three-month-old statements aimed at making the national executive under my leadership look bad.

“Now, Nigerians know the truth. We can only urge Senator Tinubu to look at the big picture in all the news and stop looking at all the issues within his ambition and personal ambition.