In order to gain control of the All Progressives Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari is reportedly making attempts to court the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Of late, reports from the grapevine and assessments made by political watchers suggest that the relationship between the pair hasn’t been fantastic.
Tinubu is believed to be aggrieved with the appointments the President has made since he took over the mantle of leadership from Goodluck Jonathan.
The candidates put forward by the APC leader for appointments in the Buhari administration were said to have been over-looked by the president, hence the lack of cordiality between them.
A member of the APC National Working Committee, revealed to Punch Newspapers, that prior to the disappointments, Tinubu had been fiercely loyal to President Buhari.
The NWC member was quoted to have said that Tinubu was fighting Buhari’s battle when he decided to support Senator Ahmed Lawan and move against Senator Bukola Saraki for the senate presidency.
“You will recall that Tinubu was initially supporting George Akume for the senate president position, but he switched over to Lawan when it became obvious that that was the man the President preferred. Also, many APC members are aware that Tinubu lost out in ministerial and many of the appointments made by the President.”
A Presidency source, was said to have confirmed that Buhari is indeed, reaching out to Tinubu, while noting that the President was fully aware of the role played by the APC national leader in his ascension to President of Nigeria.
Buhari’s reaching out to Tinubu was also reported as an attempt to create a formidable alliance ahead of the 2019 presidential race.
Another top member of the APC, was quoted to have said that the appointments that would be made by Buhari in the coming months will favour Tinubu’s loyalists.
“Buhari needs the support of Tinubu to survive the onslaught of elements that want to seize the control of the party ahead of the 2019 elections.”
“Although the President is not somebody who can be dictated to, he is not an ungrateful person. He is aware of the role played by Tinubu in his election and he will not abandon the man.”
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