The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, on Saturday shrugged off claims that his purported 2023 presidential ambition had been crushed following last Thursday’s dissolution of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
The ex-Lagos State governor, who was reacting to the dissolution of the APC NWC in a statement, however, did not deny or confirm if he was nursing a presidential ambition.
Tinubu dismissed the insinuations around his supposed presidential bid, saying he would rather busy himself with how to ensure the economic recovery of Nigeria following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.
He said: “To those who have been actively bleating how the President’s actions and the NEC meeting had ended my purported 2023 ambitions, I seek your pity.
“I am but a mere mortal who does not enjoy the length of foresight or political wisdom you profess to have. Already, you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born.
“During this period, I have not busied myself with politicking regarding 2023. I find that a bit distasteful and somewhat uncaring particularly when so many of our people have been unbalanced by the twin public health and economic crises we face.
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“I have devoted these last few months to thinking of policies that may help the nation in the here and now. What I may or may not do three years hence seems too remote given present exigencies.”
The APC chieftain said he had toiled for the success of the party just like any other individual, adding that he would continue to make sacrifices to ensure that the party remained on the path of progress.
“I have toiled for this party as much as any other person and perhaps more than most. Despite this investment or perhaps due to it, I have no problem with making personal sacrifices (and none of us should have such a problem) as long as the party remains true to its progressive, democratic creed. Politics is but a vehicle to arrive at governance.
“Good politics promotes good governance. Yet, politics is also an uncertain venture. No one gets all they want all the time. In even a tightly-woven family, differences and competing interests must be balanced and accommodated,” he added.
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