The media office of former Senate President Bukola Saraki has dismissed claims that he indirectly endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office.
Gatekeepers News reports that the clarification came after comments made by Demola Olarewaju, a senior political assistant to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who interpreted Saraki’s remarks during an interview on Politics Today as an indirect endorsement of Tinubu.
During the interview, Saraki was asked whether his relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, suggested support for President Tinubu.
Responding, Saraki said:
“You can’t extrapolate that. My friendship is based on what we are going to do about this party.
“I found his style, his views might be different, but that PDP must not die. PDP must be able to provide a platform for people to contest elections. That, I do not in any way doubt, is the sincerity where he stands, that’s where I stand.”
On the debate over zoning the presidency to the South — a position that could favour Tinubu’s re-election — Saraki stated:
“Nigerians chose to elect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the South in 2023. I think it is only fair, in my view, to allow the South to complete the eight years.”
Following the interview, Olarewaju argued that the remark amounted to support for Tinubu’s second-term bid.
He wrote on X:
“Respect to Sen. Bukola Saraki, but arguing for Southern President while Tinubu is in power is an indirect endorsement of Tinubu’s second term and an ignoring of Nigeria’s tripartite balance at Independence in 1960, and 6 zone arrangement since 1999.”
However, the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office rejected the claim, describing it as a misrepresentation of Saraki’s position. In a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, the office said the interpretation was “mischievous, incorrect and misinterpretation of an unambiguous statement made in clear English.”
The statement read:
“Dr Saraki, in that interview, made it clear that, by his antecedents, he was not a person who would say or do A in the afternoon and then go back to do B in the night. Nor does he do things indirectly, as quoted by Atiku’s aide. When the time comes, whoever the candidate he will be supporting, he will make it clear to members of the public.”
The media office added that Saraki would openly declare his political stance when the time comes, stressing that he does not hide his views or plans.
It further noted that Saraki was among members of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Executive Committee that zoned the party’s presidential ticket to the South last year, adding that President Tinubu is not the only southerner likely to contest the 2027 election.
The statement also said Saraki indicated during the interview that he would wait to see who emerges as the PDP’s presidential candidate before declaring his support.
“Dr Saraki also made it clear that he believes that in 2031, there should be no ambiguity or doubt about the fact that it would be the turn of the North and only candidates from the North should contest for the presidential slot,” the statement added.
It concluded by accusing some politicians of deliberately twisting Saraki’s comments to suit their political interests, describing such actions as desperate and misleading.
