The Senate Committee Chairman on Health, Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe has said the country would be better off with the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu in charge of Nigeria.
The Kwara Central Senator, who failed to secure a return ticket, pledged to work for Tinubu success at the poll next February.
He, however, refused to speak on whether he and his supporters would work for the overall success of the party in the state.
During a reception organised for him by his family members and supporters in Ilorin on Saturday, the federal lawmaker said: “It is payback time by Kwarans for the APC presidential candidate”.
He said in spite of what he described as the APC primaries ‘charade’, he remains a bonafide member of the party because of Tinubu and the interest of the party.
He added that his support for Tinubu stemmed from the fact that the APC presidential candidate possesses the qualities of leading the country aright.
“In spite of all that happened to me at the primaries in the state, I remain a member of APC. Since 2010 my focus has been the progress of Kwara and I have been in that struggle.
“I believe that I have to stay in APC to join forces together in correcting what is happening in the party in the state. More importantly, shortly after the primaries, I had a meeting with Asiwaju Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima. We analysed what happened at the primaries and we agreed to put that behind us.
“I am a stakeholder in the Nigerian project. At this particular time, if you look at capacity and ability to a change, Asiwaju Tinubu is the best candidate. As such, I along with my supporters will mobilise and work for Tinubu and Senator Shettima at the 2023 elections.
“Asiwaju Tinubu has been supporting our cause in Kwara. In 2011, I was an Action Congress of Nigeria senatorial candidate and Tinubu was our leader. In 2018/2019, he was a major supporter of the Otoge (enough is enough) movement and I am a beneficiary of the struggle. Why will I now say whatever has happened to me personally because of the primaries, I will leave Asiwaju because of selfish interest? Never. My support for Tinubu is based on his capacity and ability. I am also supporting him for the benefit of my state because if Nigeria is good, Kwara will be good. It is not borne out of ulterior motive”, Oloriegbe stated.
After losing his first senatorial bid to former Kwara State Governor, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki in 2015, Oloriegbe rode on the well of opposition to the Saraki dynasty in 2019 to win the Kwara Central seat. But he was consumed by the intra-party activities in the APC during the primaries for the 2023 general elections.
