Former Kano governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso has denied endorsing former Lagos helmsman, Bola Tinubu for presidency in 2023.
Kwankwaso and Tinubu are the presidential flagbearers of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A statement on Monday by his campaign organisation said the claim that Kwankwaso “recommended” Tinubu for the nation’s top job is false.
Signed by Muyi Fatosa, he said the ex-Defence Minister “is still fully in the presidential race and not distracted by the misleading report”.
Fatosa noted that some people didn’t understand Kwankwaso’s comment during his Sunday interview with Arise News.
The aide quoted Kwankwaso saying: “Bola Tinubu is my friend of many years, if I had not contested, I would have recommended him.
“I do not play politics of bitterness. We are both in the presidential race but I am a better candidate.”
Fatosa expressed disappointment on how the statement was misconstrued to mean an endorsement of Tinubu.
“Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has not in any way endorsed Bola Tinubu and urged the public to always verify the authenticity of whatever they see on the media”, he advised.
The campaign said consultations by the former Senator across all the States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had been positive.
“Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is still the candidate to beat in the 2023 presidential election”, the statement added.
In his reaction to the selection of Senator Kashim Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate, Kwankwaso had called it a good choice.