APC May Punish Tinubu Over Outburst Against Buhari, Says Party Chair Adamu

The National Chairman of the ruling party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu has hinted that the party may punish a frontline presidential aspirant and National Leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu, for his recent outburst against President Buhari.

However, in a swift response, the National Vice Chairman of the party, North-west, Dr. Salihu Lukman, said Adamu’s comment on the recent outburst of Tinubu did not represent the position of the party.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Saturday, Adamu described Tinubu’s utterances as insulting, unbecoming, and a mark of lack of respect for the president.
Adamu stated categorically that the party would henceforth be on the lookout to punish Tinubu or any other aspirant that makes a similar statement as the event unfolds.
Tinubu had while addressing delegates in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said he made Buhari president in 2015.

Though the former Lagos State governor had in a statement issued on Friday clarified that he has the utmost respect for President Buhari, the APC National Chairman insisted that what the presidential hopeful did was not an apology, but a retraction of his statement.
Adamu argued that Tinubu’s utterances did not wipe out the impression that his comments had created in people’s minds.

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His words: “Within the last three days, the country, and the world of the social media have been undaunted by the report of one of our leaders, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos State when he went for his campaign in Ogun –Abeokuta. In the course of his address, he went as far as to mention what happened between him and President Muhamadu Buhari.
“He went as far as to tell his audience how President Buhari went to him; even prostrating in tears, begging him to endorse him for the presidency. He claimed that Buhari went to him. The words in Yoruba… the interpretation was very insulting,  very unbecoming of a person of that standing to do what he did to a sitting president produced by the votes of APC.

“It is amazing how a fellow APC person can make that kind of comment about the president. We take exception to this and this doesn’t show any appreciable level of respect for the office of Mr. President and the person of Mr. President.
“Therefore, we want to make it public that we are saddened about the audio and video in that reportage and we condemn it in the strongest terms. We do hope he will never say that kind of thing again – especially those of APC extraction to make that kind of unbecoming comments.
“Between yesterday and this morning, it was retracted but that effort is not adequate. It doesn’t wipe out the impression that event has left in our minds. This is our position. I, as chairman of the ruling party, have the duty to come out and stand by our government, to stand by our president,” Adamu explained.

Asked if punitive measures would be taken against Tinubu, the APC national chairman said: “I don’t want to take this together because they are mischief-laden. I don’t want to take the primary screening to answer this question because doing so is finding a way to justify, and give some reasons that may have caused what he did. For one thing, I know at the time this event took place the screening committee had not made the report to us at all.
“The question of punitive measures is yes and no! This morning we saw some traces of withdrawal statements. You see, these are statements that can emerge not with the intention of the actual actions. So yes, we can’t say we don’t see in the papers what was reported. It happened. What is out is out. It is not an apology, it is trying to retract. We will be on the watch for us to penalise any member of the party not just Bola Tinubu, anybody. We will watch events as they unfold,” Adamu added.
However, in a swift reaction, the National Vice Chairman of APC, North-west, Lukman has said that Adamu’s comment did not represent the position of the party.

In a telephone interview with journalists, Lukman said while Tinubu, as well as other members of the party had acknowledged that the statement was unfortunate, it could not be used against him until the appropriate organ of the party deliberates and takes a decision on it.
The party chieftain said Adamu’s position at the moment remained his personal opinion and did not represent the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
His words: “We all, including Asiwaju himself, acknowledged that it was unfortunate he made those statements and it is his right to express his frustration, it should be recognised as such.
“But nobody, no matter the position of the person, can use it against him unless the party follows the due process through the rightful organs of the party to discuss it.
“So, the opinion expressed by Abdullahi Adamu was his personal opinion and it is his right to present it to any organ of the party for consideration.

“But until that opinion is adopted by the organ of the party, it cannot be considered as the position of the party. It is not the position of APC, it is his personal opinion,” Lukman added.
In a related development, Adamu has stated categorically that statutory delegates are excluded from the special convention of the party, adding that the party has already served an appeal for the judgment given by a Federal High Court in Kano.
A Federal High Court in Kano had on Friday ruled that Section 84 of the Electoral Act did not prevent statutory delegates from voting.
Reacting to the judgment, Adamu noted: “Well, I am a lawyer, we have served notice of appeal and matter is in the court and as far as we are concerned, this convention is concerned, statutory delegates are excluded.”

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