SAN FRANCISCO, September 04, (THEWILL) – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has admitted that Governors from the party protested against him at Thursday’s National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, but not for the reason that was widely reported.
Tinubu in a statement by his media aide, Tunde Rahman, revealed that he wasn’t denied entry into the meeting as most reports claimed stating however, that he wasn’t at the party headquarters for the meeting, rather he was there to honour an appointment with the national chairman.
Tinubu who was seen at the venue of the meeting was said to have been denied entry by the Governors over his position on the use of direct primary which is not in their favour.
The statement reads: “Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) did not attend nor made to attend the NEC meeting.
“Let me set the record straight for the sake of those who may unknowingly believe the lie set as truth for selfish political reasons.
“Asiwaju is not a member of NEC because he did not feel he should be ab initio.
“If he had wanted he could have chosen even the lowly one by being an ex-officio member and no one could have stopped him then.
“He never attended any NEC meeting before now and won’t make to attend any now.
“Truth he had an early morning appointment with the Chairman, Oshiomhole. As he made to leave the party secretariat that Thursday, President Buhari arrived for the NEC meeting. He waited, received the president, saw him enter for the NEC meeting and left.
“But some of those governors who, afraid of their own shadows and possible nemesis by engaging with the generality of their party members at open primaries, are averse to direct primaries, felt Asiwaju had chosen to attend the meeting to canvass support for the model.”
THEWILL recalls that the party has been in controversy over its decision to use direct primaries in secting its candidates for the 2019 elections.
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