Former Lagos
State governor and a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Bola
Tinubu has presented three candidates as running mates to Major-General
Muhammadu Buhari (retd) ahead the party’s presidential nomination convention.
Tinubu presented about three possible running mates whose names were given as Prof. Yemi Osibajo, a former commissioner in Lagos State, Senator Ajayi Borofice presently representing Ondo North in the Senate and Mr. Wale Edun, a former commissioner in Lagos State.
Tinubu presented about three possible running mates whose names were given as Prof. Yemi Osibajo, a former commissioner in Lagos State, Senator Ajayi Borofice presently representing Ondo North in the Senate and Mr. Wale Edun, a former commissioner in Lagos State.
The
collaboration between Buhari’s camp and Tinubu’s supporters were made public
last Wednesday at Buhari’s public declaration for the presidency in Abuja. It
was reported that Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu got prominent presence
at the occasion.
However, two
other choices in consideration in Buhari’s camp include Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the
immediate past governor of Ekiti State, and Otunba Niyi Adebayo were reported
to have been taken off from the radar by the Asiwaju forces on account of
political differences.
Meanwhile,
Buhari and Dr. Fayemi’s relationship increased last week following Tinubu’s
absence from the commissioning of the Ekiti State Government Liaison House in
Lagos. It was reported that on the day of the commissioning, Tinubu disappeared,
a development that seemed to have underline the increasing political disconnect
between the once close men.
A source
revealed that the projection of the three men, Borofice, Osibajo and Edun by
the Tinubu camp follows the rejection by the party’s leadership over
Muslim-Muslim ticket that would have seen a Buhari- Tinubu ticket. It was
gathered that Tinubu removed himself from the race and resulted to projecting
his own man to be a possible number two man for the country.
It was
further revealed that the consideration Osibajo followed his relatively good
character as well as respect in the Christian community. Osibajo, who served as
attorney general and commissioner for justice during Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos
State governor is a senior pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Osibajo, who
is said to be close to Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the RCCG
is believed to balance any insinuation on the country sliding towards an
Islamic path as some critics of Buhari have claimed while the consideration of
Senator Borofice is based on his strategically breaking up the hold of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the Ekiti/Ondo axis, where the PDP is
presently known to have set its foothold.
“By bringing
out Borofice, who is about the only APC senator elected official in the
Ekiti/Ondo axis, we can push for presence in the two states given that the PDP
is in control of those two states,” a close associate of Tinubu revealed.
On the other
hand, Edun, who is the third person under consideration served as commissioner
of finance for the two terms Governor Tinubu between 1999 and 2007 and he is
said to be in position to bring relative youth to a presidency under Buhari’s
watch.
“Our
consideration of Edun is on the need of young blood given that Buhari is now of
age and would need, young savvy men to keep him in track,” a source said.
Also, Senator
Olurunnimbe Mamora, is said to be like Dr. Fayemi, who is not being favourably
considered by the Tinubu camp ostensibly because of his independent trait which
became known during Governor Babatunde Fashola’s certification of a second term
ticket in 2011.
Culled From
Vanguard
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