2023 ELECTIONS : PRESIDENCY DENIES WORKING AGAINST TINUBU

According to Nasir El-Rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State, the Federal Government was not publicly aware of any official in Aso Rock working against Bola Tinubu, the APC’s presidential candidate.

After the Federal Executive Council (FEC) responded to El- Rufai’s claims on Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, addressed reporters at a briefing at the White House.

Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, had disclosed that some federal government representatives in Aso Rock Villa are working against the victory of Bola Tinubu, the APC’s presidential candidate.

El-Rufai said this in an interview with Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.

He said, “I believe there are elements in the Villa that want us to lose the election because they didn’t get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries.”

According to the Kaduna governor, those working against Tinubu’s victory were the people Tinubu defeated their presidential candidates during the party’s presidential primary election last year.

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El-Rufai said the alleged Tinubu’s enemies have been hiding under President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies to frustrate the former Lagos state governor’s victory at the polls this month.

El-Rufai had said, “I believe there are elements in the Villa that want us to lose the election because they didn’t get their way; they had their candidate. Their candidate did not win the primaries.

“They are trying to get us to lose the election, and they are hiding behind the President’s desire to do what he thinks is right. I will give two examples: this petroleum subsidy, which is costing the country trillions of Naira, was something that we all agreed would be removed.”

Reacting, Mohammed said, “If there’s anybody who is working against any candidate, we don’t know officially.”

“On a more serious note, one thing I can assure you is that, no matter who, this administration is focused and determined to ensure a free and fair election. And I think this administration, and for that matter now, the most important person in this regard is Mr. President.

“I think he has shown by words and deed that he is committed to a free, fair and credible election. And fair, free and credible elections mean not favouring or disfavouring anybody.

“Everywhere he goes, he makes that very clear, even as recently as Friday, when he was in Daura. He said the same thing. So, if there’s anybody who’s working against any candidate, we don’t know officially.”