Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, claims to have notified President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to run for President in 2023.
After a private meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu disclosed this to State House reporters.
The APC leader, on the other hand, said he had yet to formally announce his desire since he was still in talks with various interest groups across the country.
Tinubu’s visit with Buhari comes just days after the President stated in a television interview that he would not reveal his preferred candidate for the APC presidential ticket in 2023.
When asked if he had officially told Buhari of his desire to run for president, the APC leader replied,
“I answer that with a categorical yes. I’ve informed the President of my intention, but I have not informed Nigerians yet. I’m still consulting. And I have no problem consulting. And I’ve not set a parameter of limitation to the extent of how many people I will consult.
“You will soon hear; all you want to hear is the categorical declaration. You’ve got that truth from me that I have informed Mr. President of my ambition, and you don’t expect more answers than that.”
The former governor of Lagos State also revealed that the President did not tell him to abandon his ambitions.
“He is a democrat. He didn’t ask me to stop. He didn’t ask me not to attempt and pursue my ambition. It is a lifelong ambition. So, why do I expect him to say more than that? You are running a democratic dispensation, and you must adopt the principles and the values and virtues of democracy. That’s it,” he said.
