Tinubu Replies Okorocha for Criticizing His Refusal to Support Automatic Ticket for Buhari

Posted by Thandiubani on Tue 12th Dec, 2017 - tori.ng

The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu has spoken out after he was criticized by Rochas Okorocha for not backing calls for Buhari to be given automatic ticket in 2019.

APC National leader, Rochas Okorocha

Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to comments credited to Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo state, who criticised his opposition to an automatic ticket for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

Okorocha had accused Tinubu of “crying more than the bereaved” after the APC leader said if Buhari decides to re-contest, there would be no automatic ticket for him.

Speaking on the matter, Tinubu said the APC should not mimic the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) “penchant for short-circuiting internal democracy” by promoting the idea of an automatic ticket.

“Asiwaju (Tinubu) never said anything that could be interpreted as meaning or even implying the governors are irrelevant or insignificant to the party’s nomination process.

“As a former governor and a leading statesman within the party, such words would never come from him.

“Moreover, Asiwaju is a democrat who believes that the open and democratic processes of the APC, which led to the nomination of President Buhari in the first instance, have served the party well and has helped distinguish APC from PDP and other parties where fairness and internal democracy are rare commodities.

“Every individual has a right to endorse or support a candidate of his choosing. What Asiwaju said at that encounter and still canvasses is that the APC should not mimic the PDP’s penchant for short-circuiting internal democracy by promoting the idea of an automatic ticket.

“The exercise of internal democracy and honouring the letter and spirit of party rules can only strengthen the party and enthuse its members.

“APC’s all-inclusive philosophy was not devised today. It had been with the party since its creation. It was this spirit, which we believe, attracted fellow progressives and those who genuinely believe in democracy in all of its aspects to the party. Asiwaju includes Governor Okorocha in this group.” a statement from Tunde Rahman, Tinubu’s spokesman said.