There are strong indications that a battle line has been drawn between the supporters of Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the godfather of South West politics, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu following the presidential declaration of Osinbajo even as his boss had already stated that being the president of the country in 2023 is his ‘life time ambition’.
Osinbajo on Monday took the bold step and brought to an abrupt end months of speculation about his presidential ambition when he publicly made the announced in a seven-minute video clip aired on his twitter account and other social media handles.
He stated, “Dear Nigerians, for the past seven years, I have served as Vice President under a true Nigerian patriot, a servant of the nation in war and peace, and a man of integrity, President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We have, together, worked through some of the most difficult times in our nation’s history, but we have remained focused on securing the country, providing infrastructure, and growing our economy. As stipulated by the Nigerian Constitution, our tenure will end next year.
“In this period of seven years, I have served the government in several capacities, and I have, at the direction of Mr President, represented our country in sensitive high-level international engagements.”
Osinbajo promised to complete the unfinished business of the Buhari regime, including transforming the nation’s security and intelligence architecture; completing the reform of the justice system, focusing on adequate remuneration and welfare of judicial personnel, ensuring justice for all and the observance of the rule of law, rapidly advancing infrastructure development, especially power, roads, railways and broadband connectivity.
The declaration was preceded by a strategic consultative meeting between the vice President and all the APC governors at his Aguda residence in Abuja on Sunday night.
Hours after the broadcast, the APC national leader, Tinubu hurriedly hijacked the 14 APC governors for a meeting at the Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja towards the actualization of his life time ambition, despite the fact that their visit to Abuja was on the invitation of the Vice President.
Recall that the former Lagos State governor, had earlier informed President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers and opinion leaders in the Southwest, as well as Northern monarchs and religious leaders of his intention to occupy the number one position.
Some of the governors in attendance include Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi), Bababjide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Hope Uzodimma (Imo); Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), and Gboyega Oyetola (Osun).
Also at the meeting were Senators Kasim Imam from Borno State, Senator Magnus Abe from Rivers and Chief Pius Akinyelure, a member of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited Board from Ondo State.
The former Lagos State Governor spoke about his credentials as a private sector player, democracy activist and a progressive.
He recalled his role in bringing about the restoration of democracy, the formation of the APC and the party’s victories in the 2015 and 2019 elections.
Tinubu assured the APC governors of inclusion and accommodation in the presidential project.
Speaking to the governors, Asiwaju 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,” he said.
When asked by journalists why he is still on the race when his son (Osinbajo) has declared interest for the same position, Asiwaju replied “I don’t have any son grown up enough to make such declaration.”
He added, “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.”
The interest of these gladiators have sharply divided the party base in the South-West.
Shortly after the declaration of the Vice-President, some of his supporters and those loyal to Asiwaju engaged in a verbal free for all war on the social media, television and radio stations.
A source close to the Tinubu political architecture confided to our reporter that despite the disagreements between the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Asiwaju, Ogbeni still has the ear of the APC leader and might turn his back on the Vice-President.
Also speaking with journalists, Kebbi State Governor and Chairman, Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Bagudu said that Osinbajo’s declaration is not a threat to the cohesion of the party.
He said: “On the contrary, we appreciate our party because it has become a party that has endeared itself to Nigerians. We have many brilliant people in our party, some serving and some not serving. The fact that we have people in our party that express a desire to lead the party into the highest office in electoral contests shows how much our party has resonated with Nigerians and our members.
“For us, it is a hallmark of success that people are showing interest. But, at the end of the day and because they are leaders of the party, they will always put the party’s interest at heart.”
On the possibility of the party adopting a consensus candidate as its presidential standard-bearer, the PGF Chairman said the party would adopt the best option, insisting that the APC would always go for the best.
“Don’t forget that in the 2015 presidential election primary, President Buhari contested against several others and it was a beautiful contest. There is nothing wrong. Members of the party always want to see consensus if it is possible. But, we are a democratic party.
“In our last convention, we had consensus in some of the offices and election in some others. There is always misrepresentation of consensus as if people are being snowballed into positions they would rather not take.”
However, to avoid a clash between the Vice President and Asiwaju over the control of APC structure in Lagos, Osinbajo transferred his party membership from Lagos to Ogun state.
“Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is no longer a member of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”, his spokesman, Laolu Akande, has confirmed.
Akande said Osinbajo who declared his intention to contest the 2023 Presidential election on APC platform had moved his membership to Ogun State when he revalidated his APC membership status in Ward One, Ikenne, Ogun State, on February 9, 2021.
Prior to his movement, Osinbajo was a chieftain of the Lagos APC with his polling unit at Code 33, Unit 2 Victoria Garden City, Lagos.
