The Publisher of Daily Nigerian, Jaafar Jaafar, has named an aide and an associate of President Muhammadu Buhari allegedly leading the \u2018war\u2019 against the actualisation of the presidential ambition of All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.<\/p>\n
Jaafar made the revelation in an interview with Sunday Punch.<\/p>\n
Recall that Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State on Wednesday sparked controversy on Wednesday when he said some persons in Aso Rock were working against Tinubu.<\/p>\n
However, the governor did not mention names.<\/p>\n
Reacting to El-Rufai\u2019s comment, Jaafar identified those allegedly leading the charge against Tinubu\u2019s ambition in the presidency as presidential aide, Sabiu Tunde, and Buhari\u2019s associate and former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sani Zangon Daura.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cYou see, I only talked about the key prominent voices and the power Sabiu Tunde wields, we can say that he is the major element against Tinubu\u2019s presidency.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is on the President\u2019s side and has so much power in the Presidency such that he can influence so many things much more than anyone else.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe (Governor Nasir) El-Rufai does not want to give so much importance to a \u2018small boy\u2019. That\u2019s why he didn\u2019t actually mention the name.<\/p>\n
\u201cSani Zangon Daura, he\u2019s very close to the President also as I have said in that tweet; he influences a lot of things also, but suddenly he was seen going about campaigning for Atiku Abubakar; I think he was even in Jigawa State a couple of weeks ago to campaign for Atiku. It was so open that he is not hiding his choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it was \u201cbaffling\u201d that they were working against Tinubu despite sharing the same party.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the initial stage, Tinubu was not their preferred candidate; they planned to impose Senator Ahmed Lawan and that plan failed.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, after the plan failed, they became aggrieved even after Tinubu emerged victorious; he didn\u2019t get much support from them. Ahmed Lawan was their preferred candidate,\u201d Jaafar said.<\/p>\n
Asked if Lawan was behind the plot against Tinubu, the journalist said, \u201cI can\u2019t say Ahmed Lawan really has a hand in this; I doubt it because even in the Villa, he does not wield as much influence as Tunde.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact, he is among those kicking against Godwin Emefiele\u2019s naira swap policy. It was very clear because he was fuming over the failure of the Presidency to involve the National Assembly in the decision before the President approved the naira redesign. So, Ahmed Lawan is not part of it.\u201d