The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on Tuesday dropped out of the race for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The Speaker announced his decision in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja.
He said the decision to suspend his bid was taken after due consultations and considerations of the overall interest of the party.
He equally noted that going ahead with such a bid at this time would alter calculations on the political chessboard of the party.
This, he said, led him to embark on extensive consultations towards taking a decision as to whether or not to participate. He said his intention was not to actualize a personal ambition, but rather to actualize “our dream for a new Nigeria.”
In the statement, Tambuwal said, “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 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 anyone becomes in life is exclusively in the hands of God. Only God gives power to whoever He pleases,” Tambuwal said.
Although he made no direct reference to his next political move, the speaker said, “I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and interest. On my part and with the greatest sense of modesty and responsibility, I wish to assure Nigerians that I am fully prepared, ready, willing, determined, available and armed with the requisite plans, programmes and ability, to undertake the great mission of rescuing our dear country from the clutches of institutionalized corruption, gross incompetence, greed and divisiveness.”
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