The campaign council of Senator Bukola Saraki has said none of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential aspirants seeking consensus has stepped down for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or any other aspirant.
A statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Director General of the Saraki Campaign Council, Mr Osaro Onaiwu, said contrary to reports that Saraki, Sokoto State governor, Mr Aminu Tambuwal and his Bauchi State counterpart, Mr Bala Mohammed, had concluded plans to step down, the trio is still in the race.
He dismissed as “sheer mischief,” report of a purported agreement by the trio to step down, insisting that, “Our candidate and three other aspirants met with Vice President Atiku on Monday with the sole objective to inform him of their push towards a consensus candidate for the party.
“At that meeting, there was no talk of any of the aspirants stepping down as it is yet premature,” noting that any reports on stepping down “smacks of desperation and ill-intention.”
The statement further reiterated that, “Our candidate is eminently qualified for the PDP presidential (ticket) as a former two-term governor, chairman of the Governors Forum, the most engaging and result-oriented Senate President and a former presidential aspirant.
“Also, Governor Aminu Tambuwal as former Speaker of the House of Representatives and a serving two-term governor is also qualified to be considered for the ticket.
“Last but not the least is Governor Bala Mohammed, a former senator, ex-minister and a serving governor is qualified for the ticket. So, let no other aspirant hide under some nebulous assumption that he is overly qualified than others to be stepped down for.
“When and if there is a concrete agreement on a winning consensus and others step down for whoever, it will be done openly, but until then, Senator Bukola Saraki, Tambuwal and Mohammed are still in the race”
