Saraki and Tambuwal called tinubu a Pretender.

Tinubu had on Sunday said Saraki, Tambuwal and others that defected from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others parties, did so because they were not guaranteed automatic tickets by the ruling party.

He also accused them of having their eyes on the country’s resources to the detriment of the interest of the people.

On Monday, The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, repiled back at the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tinubu, saying his support for President Muhammadu Buhari was pretentious, having complained, in private discussions, that he was unhappy about the president’s style of governance. He was being economical with the truth. They said.

Tinubu, said Tambuwal, was a latter day lover of Buhari, contending that the national leader wanted to rock the boat when he was refused the vice presidential slot by Buhari in 2014, start to the 2015 general election.

Saraki continued and said that the reason why Tinubu, supporting Buhari’s administration is to preserve his presidential ambition in 2023.

The Senate president in his statement titled: ‘The Tinubu Rhetoric- My Response,’ declared that Tinubu would rather “support a Buhari on the hospital stretcher to get a second term because in 2023, power would shift to the South-west.”

He said the relationship between him and Tinubu became frosty in 2014 when he opposed his ambition to run as Buhari’s running mate on a Muslim/ Muslim ticket.

The Senate President recalled that on several occasions, he had discussed unusual developments in government with Tinubu but it became glaring that “while my own decision is based on protecting collective, national interest, Tinubu will rather live with the identified inadequacies in the government for the sake of fulfilling and preserving his presidential ambition in 2023. This new position of Tinubu has only demonstrated inconsistency, particularly when one reviews his antecedent over the years.”

He explained that he had consistently complained to APC leaders about the leadership of the National Assembly not being in the know about key government decisions.

According to him, “I have been consistent in my complaints to all leaders of the APC, including Tinubu, that a situation where the National Assembly is not constructively engaged or carried along in key policy decisions, particularly those that will eventually require legislative approval, is not in the best interest of the nation.

Tinubu himself will recall that during the various meetings he had with me at the time he was pursuing reconciliation within the party, I raised all the above issues. I can also vividly recall that he himself always expressed his displeasure with the style of the government and also mentioned that he had equally suffered disrespect from the same government which we all worked to put in office. I also made the point that whatever travails I have gone through in the last three years belong to the past and will definitely not shape my decisions now and in the future.

It is clear that while my own decision is based on protecting collective, national interest, Tinubu will rather live with the identified inadequacies in the government for the sake of fulfilling and preserving his presidential ambition in 2023. This new position of Tinubu has only demonstrated inconsistency, particularly when one reviews his antecedent over the years.

It should be known that Democracy is a system which allows people to freely make their choice. It is my choice that I have decided to join others to present a viable alternative platform for Nigerians in the coming elections. Tinubu and leaders of the APC had better respect this decision or lawfully deal with it. As for me, Allah gives power to whom He wishes. Human beings can only aspire and strive to fulfill their aspirations.