The refusal of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to take a definite stand on his rumoured presidential ambition in 2023 despite the declaration by his benefactor, former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is the reason many people in the South-West chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are accusing him of alleged betrayal.
Tinubu, national leader of the APC, informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his decision to run for the office of president in 2023 last month.
While describing his desire to become the president as “a lifelong ambition”, he also dispelled the insinuation that as a kingmaker who has installed kings, he cannot become a king himself.
However, in spite of Tinubu’s declaration and consultations, some of his longtime associates have come out to publicly endorse Osinbajo as their choice even though he (Osinbajo) is yet to officially declare interest in the race.
Despite repeated calls on him to run in 2023 by several groups across the country, Osinbajo had said he is focused on his job now as vice president and will decide on whether he is going to contest at the appropriate time.
Speaking with Daily Independent on Sunday, an associate of Tinubu, who was also a commissioner in Lagos from 1999 to 2007 during which period Osinbajo also served as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said many of those who worked with Tinubu during his tenue as governor are watching Osinbajo’s moves with keen interests and may issue a joint statement in the coming days.
According to the APC chieftain, who asked not to be named, the general belief amongst them before was that Osinbajo will not dare contest against Tinubu who nominated him for the position of vice president but recent events are pointing in a different direction.
“I don’t have anything to say now because Yemi (Osinbajo) has not come out to say he is running.
However, in spite of Tinubu’s declaration and consultations, some of his longtime associates have come out to publicly endorse Osinbajo as their choice even though he (Osinbajo) is yet to officially declare interest in the race.
Despite repeated calls on him to run in 2023 by several groups across the country, Osinbajo had said he is focused on his job now as vice president and will decide on whether he is going to contest at the appropriate time.
Speaking with Daily Independent on Sunday, an associate of Tinubu, who was also a commissioner in Lagos from 1999 to 2007 during which period Osinbajo also served as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said many of those who worked with Tinubu during his tenue as governor are watching Osinbajo’s moves with keen interests and may issue a joint statement in the coming days.
According to the APC chieftain, who asked not to be named, the general belief amongst them before was that Osinbajo will not dare contest against Tinubu who nominated him for the position of vice president but recent events are pointing in a different direction.
“I don’t have anything to say now because Yemi (Osinbajo) has not come out to say he is running.
But it is clear as daylight that something is giving those canvassing support for Osinbajo assurance that he will run in 2023.
“I’m in touch with some of my colleagues who were part of Asiwaju’s team during his tenure as governor. In fact, we have a platform that we all shared and the general impression is that this tension would have been doused if Osinbajo has taken a categorical position since his former boss has indicated interest in contesting for the presidency”.
When asked who is more qualified to be president between a former governor and a sitting vice president, he said Osinbajo couldn’t have become the vice president today if not for the fact that Tinubu nominated him for the position.
“Let’s get something clear. Asiwaju is the potential running mate to President Buhari in the 2015 presidential election given his status as a former governor and the role he played in the merger that birthed the APC.
The only issue that many kicked against then was the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket which many stakeholders in the party feared Nigerians may not accept.
“Asiwaju was given the option of nominating one of his loyalists who is a Christian and he nominated Osinbajo.
I still remembered the reactions of many Nigerians then when Osinbajo’s name was announced as running mate to Buhari.
Even Buhari didn’t really know him and that was why he had issues pronouncing his name during the campaign then.
So, Osinbajo is my brother but even he himself cannot say because he is vice president now, he is superior to Asiwaju whose highest political office till date is governor. “So, like I said, many of us who served under Asiwaju, including Osinbajo, are still one big family and we will not allow any wedge among us. But the ball is in Osinbajo’s court. His decision at this stage is very crucial and it will shape the future of things to come”, he said. When our correspondent also contacted a senior lawyer who is also an associate of the vice president, he said those thinking that Osinbajo will not contest because of perceived loyalty to Tinubu are in for a shocker in the coming days.
He categorically stated that Osinbajo is running for presidency in 2023, adding that it was because of his popularity that those in Tinubu’s camp are accusing him of betrayal.
He said, “Osinbajo is running, there is no doubt about it and it is because of his popularity that the Tinubu camp starts this blackmail of ‘betrayal’, the same way they bullied Fayemi into a seeming submission. But they are in for a shocker”.
When asked if the recent honour bestowed on Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, as Dan Amana Daura, the title given by the Emir from President Buhari’s hometown has any political undertone ahead of the 2023 presidency, he said the title has no political undertone.
He said that Amaechi used his ministry to carry out a lot of infrastructural developments in Daura, in order to curry favour from President Buhari and the Emir of the town appreciated him with the title. “On Amaechi’s title, I don’t believe there is a political undertone to it. His ministry did a lot for Daura in terms of infrastructure, possibly for him to ingratiate himself to Buhari and it is only normal for the Emir to reciprocate that with the title”.
