Lagos APC primaries: My relationship with Fashola is intact, says Tinubu

National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu, yesterday, dismissed suggestions of a clash between him and
Governor Babatunde Fashola on account of the just concluded
governorship primaries of the party.
Asiwaju Tinubu declared in a statement in Lagos that the insinuation
and similar ones about Lagos politics and the personalities involved
are "pure conjectures or outright falsehood."
He blamed those he called political charlatans and enemies for
"fuelling unnecessary rumour and insinuations and seeking to drive a
wedge in an otherwise cordial and respectful political relationship."
Citing one such newspaper story yesterday, he said: "My relationship
with Governor Fashola remains cordial both at the personal level and
at the level of commitment to ensuring Lagos State remains on the path
of political stability, growth and development
"Whether Governor Fashola had a specific candidate or not isn't the
issue here. What is important is to have a transparent process in the
spirit of democracy to which we both subscribe.
"We often debate, agree or disagree. But when it comes to concluding
on the interest of Lagos State, we are on the same page. The current
situation and issues around the Lagos Gubernatorial primary are been
overblown.
"What we have done is ensure that no one is denied his or her rights
to participate and compete for any elective position. Such a
disposition should not translate into anger and divisiveness of the
party as it is being peddled.
"Conflicts and disagreements are part of every political process. The
capacity to solve these conflicts in-house and not on the pages of
newspaper is a tradition in Lagos.
"At my age and with my level of political experience, I am expected to
seek for solutions, work for reconciliations and find a common ground
where disagreements exist. That is what I have dedicated myself to in
the larger interest of Lagos State and Nigeria at large. That is what
Governor Babatunde Fashola and myself are about. That is what Lagos
State deserves as Nigeria's pacesetter in terms of democracy and
development.