The former Governor of Lagos State, currently, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had on Friday stated that the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has not told him he is contesting for the 2023 presidential election. The minister acknowledged that people have been speaking for Tinubu, noting that Tinubu has not declared for the 2023 presidential race. Fashola, however, admitted that Tinubu, also former Governor of Lagos State, his predecessor, had issued a statement that he will speak in January 2022 on his presidential ambition. The minister, therefore, said that it apposite for people to wait till January to hear from Tinubu.
Fashola, insisting that Tinubu has not told him he is contesting the 2023 presidential election, declared: “I saw him last week; he didn’t tell me he is running for office. And to the best of my knowledge, the last statement he made about it was that people would know in January.”
Fashola maintained that he did not inquire from Tinubu if he is contesting the 2023 presidential election when they met, saying that he only went on a farewell visit to his predecessor. He reiterated that Tinubu had issued a statement that he will speak on the 2023 presidential race in January and Nigerians should wait for him.
Fashola insisted that he cannot speak for anybody at the moment until anyone declares for the presidential race.
According to Fashola, “I didn’t ask him [of his intention], I only went to see how well he was doing.
“He has issued a statement that I will speak in January, so, let’s wait for his speech.”
“As far as I am aware, nobody has said, ‘I want to be Nigeria’s President’. There are people speaking for people. Nobody has come out; we are not at that stage yet.
“I can’t venture out and say that I will speak for X or Y. Let the person come out and say, ‘I want to serve Nigeria’.
“I think the whole sense of it should be that I am able, I have looked at myself, give me your problem, you go to sleep.”
Fashola may not be indifferent to other southwest political leaders mobilizing support for Tinubu for the presidential race in 2023. The minister may just be playing to caution. Though, Tinubu has not made formal declaration for the 2023 presidential ticket of the ruling APC towards the general elections, several unrestrained political activities clearly defined the presidential ambition of the APC national leader, Tinubu.
Meanwhile, as Fashola said, Nigerians are waiting for Tinubu’s statement in January.