There is palpable tension in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, and National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, are considered pitched against each other.
Tinubu, who is regarded as Osinbajo’s political godfather having recommended him for President Muhammadu Buhari way back in 2015, has since hit the campaign fields, after declaring his presidential ambition
But Osinbajo, who was rumoured to be similarly interested in succeeding his boss, President Buhari, finally confirmed the rumour on Monday, when he formally announced his presidential ambition.
Tinubu was asked by journalists on Monday to react to Osinbajo’s clear declaration to run for President, the former Lagos State governor, possibly piqued, went philosophical and apparently paranoid.
Tinubu briefed newsmen after he had convened a meeting with APC governors in Abuja, the same thing Osinbajo did 24 hours earlier, being a prelude to the latter’s declaration.
On Osinbajo’s declaration, Tinubu replied:
“I don’t have any son grown up enough to make such declaration.
“The fact that we have people in our party that express desire to lead the party into the highest office in the electoral contest shows how much this our party has resonated with Nigerians and our party members.”
He also informed that his meeting with the APC governors at the Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, hours after Osinbajo did met with governors, was to declare his intention to succeed Buhari, come next year.
The governors in attendance at the meeting convened by Tinubu includ Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, among others.
Speaking further during his media interaction, Tinubu said, “My mission here is to seek collaboration, support, and encouragement of my party, the APC, for my ambition to become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a replacement for President Muhammadu Buhari after his tenure.”
Speaking on Tinubu’s meeting with the governors, Kebbi’s helmsman, Governor Bagudu, said the presidential aspirant met with them to formally brief them on his intention to lead Nigeria after Buhari’s tenure.
“He met members of the PGF and stated what he has said publicly, his intention to seek the office of the President come 2023 which he had already announced before now.
“He briefed us on his reasons, thinking, and message. The governors graciously listened to him to digest everything he said. He acknowledged the role of the governors in the last convention of the party by helping in the evolution of the leadership that is acceptable and widely acknowledged by all party members.”
Bagudu who said he was responding on behalf of his colleague governors, assured the presidential aspirant that they would broach over the matter in their meeting, and make informed decision on his message.
