2027: Saraki Didn’t Endorse Tinubu, Says Aide

The media office of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has dismissed claims that he has endorsed any candidate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

It described such interpretations as “mischievous” and misleading.

The clarification followed comments by Demola Olanrewaju, an aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who suggested that Saraki’s recent remarks on power rotation amounted to indirect support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seeking a second term.

In a statement issued in Abuja by Yusuph Olaniyonu on behalf of the Saraki Media Office, he rejected the claim and insisted that the former Senate President’s position had been clearly and deliberately stated.

According to him, it was wrong to interpret Saraki’s comment that the South should be allowed to complete eight years in office as an endorsement of any individual.

Describing the claim as a distortion, Olaniyonu said Saraki does not engage in double speak or indirect political messaging.

According to him, Saraki had made it clear during his interview on Channels Television that when the time comes to support a candidate, he would do so openly and without ambiguity.

“He is not someone who will say A in the afternoon and do B in the night. Nor does he speak in coded terms”, he said, adding that Saraki has always stood firmly by his convictions regardless of political consequences.

The media office further noted that Saraki’s position on zoning was not new, recalling that he was among key stakeholders who supported the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.

It added that the position should not be misconstrued as backing any particular aspirant, stressing that there are multiple potential contenders from the southern region.

The statement also pointed out that Saraki had clearly stated he would wait for the PDP to complete its internal processes and produce a candidate before making his position known.

He said Saraki expressed the belief that by 2031, the presidency should rotate back to the North, leaving no ambiguity about the region’s turn to produce the next president at that time.

He accused political actors of deliberately twisting Saraki’s comments to suit their personal ambitions, warning against what it described as attempts to create confusion within the opposition.

It said such misinterpretations reflect “desperation and calculated efforts” to manipulate public perception for political advantage.

The clarification comes amid growing political positioning ahead of the 2027 elections, with debates over zoning and succession already shaping alignments within major parties.

Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State and a key figure within the PDP, remains one of the influential voices in the party, with his eventual stance expected to carry weight as the opposition prepares for the next electoral cycle.