Senate President didn't say he stepped down for Buhari - Aide

monjola sotubo

June 29, 2015 3:53 AM

The clarification was made on Sunday, June 28, 2015, by Saraki’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu.

President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate President, Bukola Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has denied that he claimed to have stepped down to enable President Muhammadu Buhari run for the Presidency.

The clarification was made on Sunday, June 28, 2015, by Saraki’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu.

Olaniyonu explained that his boss had said on Saturday, June 27, that he dropped his presidential ambition once Buhari announced his intention to contest the 2015 presidential election.

The statement was misconstrued by the Presidency leading Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina to challenge it.

Saraki had said:

“Talking about relationship with Mr. President, I want to reassure the public that some of us….. If you look at the time of the APC and the period of the campaign, I was the first person that stepped down his presidential ambition once President Buhari announced that he was going to contest for the election.”

The Senate President made the statement following claims that he was plotting against Buhari.

Saraki has been at loggerheads with the All Progressives Congress (APC), his and Buhari’s party, since his emergence as Senate President on June 9.

The APC had chosen Senator Ahmed Lawan as its sole candidate for the post but Saraki went ahead to contest and win.

Saraki’s rift with the party deepened further when her refused to nominate Lawan for the position of Majority Leader.

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