Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stated on Saturday that he notified President Muhammadu Buhari about his presidential ambition to avoid offending him.
Tinubu explained that he did this to avoid causing a rift between himself and President Muhammadu Buhari, claiming that he did not want to anger Buhari by “pulling the carpet from his feet.”
The Lagos State former Governor made the remarks while visiting Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Alake and paramount monarch of Egbaland, at his Ake palace in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday.
Speaking to the monarch, Tinubu said, “I told the President I want to replace you and I don’t want to offend you. I told the President that I want to step in his shoes, but not step on his toes.
“I told him as the number one citizen, I should start my Presidential bid by informing you first, and he (Buhari) told me to inform the whole world, and I have done that.”
Tinubu recalled that he had served as a senator when he was young and that he was governor when he was 50 years old.
He continued, “I have done crusades to return Nigeria to democracy before I started hearing the voices of the people that I should contest for president. I have thought about it deeply, but I cannot think about it alone.
“The people said, this time around, I should run for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I told them that we have elected someone there and I don’t want to pull the carpet from his feet.”
Tinubu stated that he was in Ogun to obtain the monarchs’ permission to run for president as well as their blessings.
He said, “I want to seek the permission of the Kabiyesi. I want to seek his blessings and prayers from other chiefs.
“I’m here to tell you (Alake) that, I want your prayers and I want to inform you that I want to become the president.”
The Alake responded by praying for Tinubu to achieve his goal and expressing hope that “if Tinubu becomes president, Nigeria will be better for it.”
