Saraki: Tambuwal Didn’t Inform Me of His Withdrawal for Atiku in 2023 Presidential Primary

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

More than two years after the Peoples Democratic Party ((PDP) presidential primary election, former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has refuted the claim made by former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, that he informed him (Saraki) before withdrawing for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the 2022 presidential primary of the party.

The PDP presidential primary election took place inside the velodrome of the National Stadium in Abuja.
In a statement by his Media Office signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki while responding to a claim made by Tambuwal in an interview aired on Arise TV programme titled ‘Untold Stories With Adesuwa’, stated that Tambuwal never informed him that he would withdraw for Atiku.

He said he was also surprised like everybody present at the PDP presidential convention that Tambuwal returned to the podium to announce his withdrawal after he had addressed the delegates seeking their votes to fly the PDP presidential flag in the 2023 general elections.

The statement reads: “I need to set the record straight. When I saw Tambuwal returning to the podium after he had earlier addressed the delegates to canvas 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 His announcement that he had withdrawn from the race and that the delegates who were supporting him should vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar took me by surprise.
“Tambuwal is my friend but he should take responsibility for his decisions and actions. He never discussed withdrawal from the race with me. I never contemplated withdrawing my candidature from the race and had nothing to do with the decision process that led to his withdrawal in favour of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” Saraki stated