Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has refuted the claim made by former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Tambuwal that he informed him (Saraki) before withdrawing for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the 2022 presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held inside the velodrome of the National Stadium, Abuja.

In a statement by his media office signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki, while responding to a claim made by Tambuwal in an interview aired on Arise TV Programme titled ‘Untold Stories With Adesuwa’, stated that Tambuwal never informed him that he would withdraw for Atiku.

Saraki said he was surprised like everybody present at the PDP presidential convention that Tambuwal returned to the podium to announce his withdrawal after he had addressed the delegates seeking their votes to fly the PDP presidential flag in the 2023 general elections.

“I need to set the record straight. When I saw Tambuwal returning to the podium after he had earlier addressed the delegates to canvass for their votes, I wondered what was happening. His announcement that he had withdrawn from the race and that the delegates who were supporting him should vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar took me by surprise.

“Tambuwal is my friend but he should take responsibility for his decisions and actions. He never discussed withdrawal from the race with me. I never contemplated withdrawing my candidature from the race and had nothing to do with the decision process that led to his withdrawal in favour of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar”, Saraki stated.