Saraki, Tambuwal not negotiating with opposition ―Badaru

ALL Progressive Congress (APC) national convention chairman and Jigawa state governor, Abubakar Badaru, has dispelled rumours that Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state are already in negotiations with the opposition with a view to quitting the ruling party.

He told State House corespondents after a meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, in Abuja on Monday he has not heard such speculation.

The governor maintained that Governor Sam Ortom of Benue state, who had also been rumoured to be preparing to leave the APC had told its National Executive Committee (NEC) that he will remain with the party.

Asked for his reaction to the rumours and how their possible exit may affect the APC, he said: “No I don’t think so and I have not heard that rumours and I don’t think there is such negotiation going on.

“It is not true that Tambuwal and Saraki are negotiating with the PDP, we have not heard of that. Some few weeks back there was rumour about the governor of Benue and he made it clear at our last NEC that he is not moving anywhere. Those are rumours flying around but they don’t have consequence.

“We are united, governor Tambuwal is with us and the Distinguished senator Bukola Saraki, the Senate President is also with APC and we have not had any reason to think that they are negotiating elsewhere, no.”

Governor Badaru also denied reports of political unrest alleged to have occurred in Jigawa state over the weekend, noting that what happened was not more that supporters of different elective office seekers chanting their support for their preferred persons.

He added: “Political unrest, no it is not true. It is normal political chanting. Chanting between groups that are contesting the same position. People passing by and some groups will chant for their own and others will chant for another person and that was what happened.

“That was a great rally. It is normal in every gathering, you have different supporters supporting different people contesting the same position.”

The national convention chairmen was confident that the forthcoming APC national convention will be rancour free, stressing that the party members are united.

According to him, “They are all united and I am sure the convention will bring everybody together and in democracy if you are open and straight forward, things get done well, I don’t think there should be any problem.”