I Never Said I Spent N35bn On Buhari’s Elections — Tinubu

Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has denied saying he spent N35 billion on the elections of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019.

A report had quoted Tinubu as expressing regrets that he spent heavily on the president.

The report said while having a discussion with Bisi Akande, former interim chairman of the APC, on the dissolution of the national working committee of the ruling party, Tinubu accused the president of betraying him.

But in a statement by Tunde Rahman, his spokesman, issued on his behalf, the APC national leader dismissed the claims.

“The authors of the libelous report claimed Asiwaju made the allegation in a discussion with former APC Interim Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande,” the statement read.

“Firstly, no one person elected President Buhari. He was elected by the generality of Nigerian electorate. Asiwaju Tinubu would not arrogate to himself the commendable decision taken by the people. Also, that outlandish claim only existed in the imagination of the authors of the story.

“Asiwaju rooted for President Buhari’s election and in 2015 and re-election in 2019 along with other right-thinking political leaders and teeming members of APC and Nigerians across the country.

“He has no reason to regret the rightful decision or describe President Buhari as ‘ungrateful’. He remains steadfast in his support for the president and the programmes and policies of his administration as he has always been.

“Nothing has occurred to warrant any change of heart.”

The statement said since reference was made to how Akinwunmi Ambode, a former governor of Lagos, could not secure another term, it is possible that those behind the report “betrayed where they came from”.

“The report linked recent developments in APC to the fate suffered by former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in the 2019 governorship race in Lagos State, perhaps betraying where the authors were coming from,” the statement read.

“Asiwaju has put the events of 2019 behind him. He has moved on. Indeed, Lagos has moved on. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is providing good, purposeful and responsible leadership. Lagosian are enjoying the fruits of good governance under the able and dynamic governor Sanwo-Olu.

“Asiwaju and governor Sanwo-Olu have the best of relationships, contrary to the impression the report sought to create.”