Tinubu says no cabal in Buhari’s govt

A leader of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Hammed Tinubu, said on Monday that there was no cabal in the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Tinubu who said this while addressing journalists after a closed door meeting with the president at the Aso Villa, asked: “What is the myth in this leadership thing? What is cabal? It is a myth,” He said.

He described as “fake news” the belief in some quarters that a cabal in the presidency was in control of the government and had even side-lined him.

“You know me. I am not known to shy away from talking my mind and rebelling if it is necessary and taking charge of things that I believe are necessary,” he said.

Mr. Tinubu said he still has confidence in Buhari, “We worked hard to bring about the government, there are certain things that are unpredictable and those are things that can lean itself to gossips, insinuations and all of that,” he said.

The former governor also explained why he was not in regular public consultation with the president.

“Once you create leadership and it’s functioning you don’t have to babysit that leadership unless there is a loss of confidence; and I don’t have that,” he said.

Tinubu further said that the APC is a party of the people, adding “each of us have our roles to play and that is why we are playing it. I don’t believe in the myth, I believe in confidence building, the trust that we have in the president.”

The APC leader said he had a fruitful discussion with Mr. Buhari. He said in a democracy such as Nigeria’s there is bound to be “twists and turns” as well as conflicts. He, however, said there are mechanisms to handle such conflicts within the APC.

He also said on Monday that despite the crisis in the governing party, it is on the right course.

“Can you go back to the history of 16 years of the PDP?

“APC government is on course and will remain on course and we will remain focused to those necessary things about development, welfare and progress of our people,” he said.

“It is not easy to face the challenges and the well that was dug, sinkhole that we inherited. But we are sorting that one out gradually; so in few steps, we will find happiness and development in the future of our country.

When asked for his opinion on the call by some Nigerians for Buhari to run again in 2019, Tinubu said, “Don’t discuss that one with me.”