Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has withdrawn from the race to pick the presidential ticket of the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) for the 2015 general election.
In a statement issued by him and made available to SundiataPost on Tuesday, Tambuwal said had “carefully considered the the concerns expressed by some of our leaders, whom I deeply respect and whose support and counsel I enjoy, to the effect that my entry into the presidential race at this point may necessitate having to rework some equations on the political chessboard of the party.
“Having consulted widely, taking into consideration the concerns of some elders of the party, I have decided to suspend my participation in the presidential contest for now. I have done so as a sacrifice for the the cohesion and unity of the APC. I am suspending my participation in the presidential race for now because I do not have any inordinate ambition to occupy any office. Nigeria is a country too great to sacrifice on the altar of partisan politics and personal ambition. What any one becomes in life is exclusively in the hands of God. Only God gives power to whoever he pleases.
“I came into the APC to enhance and build. Therefore, in the interest of our great party, the APC and indeed in the overriding national interest I wish to appeal to all my associates, colleagues, supporters, admirers and friends nationwide to show some understanding. It has not been easy coming to this decision and I very well understand the frustration, disappointment and disbelief of many who have committed so much to the project including sacrificing not only their physical, financial and intellectual resources but indeed their personal ambitions in the 2015 electoral contest.”
Tambuwal was silent on his next move. It is widely speculated that he has the gubernatorial ticket of the APC for Sokoto State as the state governor, Aliyu Wamakko is backing him.