Dr Suleiman Audu, a member of the Ahmed Lawan campaign council on Monday described as untrue reports that the Senate President has stepped down for former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu.
An online report with the heading “Senate President, Ahmed Lawan steps down from the presidential race, pledges to support and collapse his political structure for APC frontline Aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu” is currently circulating across social media platforms.
But Audu, in a statement dismissed the report as “sheer mischief planted by those who want to gain the APC presidential ticket by deceit.”
He said, “Our attention has been called to an online publication that the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Ahmed Lawan has stepped down for former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the APC presidential ticket.
“The report is sheer mischief and planted by those who want to gain the APC ticket by deceit. For clarity purposes, Ahmed Lawan is in the race to win. Tinubu should be the one stepping down for him. It is injustice for the South-West to rule for 8 years under President Olusegun Obasanjo and another 8 years as Vice President to even contemplate of contesting the 2023 presidential election.
“Tinubu should be patriotic enough to step down for the Senate President for equity, justice and fairness. We expected him as an elder statesman to show understanding by supporting either the South-East or North-East geo-political zones. It is not late for him to back Senator Ahmed Lawan to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Ahmed Lawan is eminently qualified for the APC presidential ticket as someone from the North-East geo-political zone that is yet to produce the president since 1999 and as the most engaging and result-oriented senate president since 1999.
“Tinubu should consider his health, peace, unity and progress of the nation above his personal interest,” he stated.