National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday ruled out automatic ticket for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 Presidential election.
Tinubu who was in Akure on a private visit to the leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, was reacting to the endorsement of President Buhari by some APC governors.
Tinubu’s visit to Pa Faoranti was seen by many as a realignment with the mainstream Yoruba group ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The former governor of Lagos State declared that “no governor can appropriate the power of endorsement to themselves, adding that an individual’s opinion “does not matter at this stage.”
The APC leader was visiting Fasoranti almost after 14 years after parting ways with the mainstream Afenifere to form a splinter group called Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG).
Tinubu was accompanied to the state by the former interim national chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande and the South West National Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Pius Akinyelure.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, his deputy Agboola Ajayi and members of the state executives council accompanied Tinubu and others to the residence of the Afenifere leader.
Only a few party chieftains were admitted into the meeting which was held behind closed doors.
Rising from their meeting, Tinubu told newsmen that the governors endorsing the President are on their own. He said: “I have not heard about the endorsement and the party spokesman has not said that.
“The governors cannot appropriate the power of endorsement to themselves.” Buhari is a believer in process; the Buhari I know believes in rule of law.
“We wanted him even before the last convention and primaries of the party and Akeredolu is here standing with me; he was not the governor then.
“He was one of the leading delegates that voted properly and Buhari was a clear winner,” Tinubu said.