Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 2023 presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has decided on his choice of running mate.
The choice re-enacted the Muslim-Muslim ticket of MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe in 1993.
It also resonated South-West, North-East permutation, which though produced victory for then Social Democratic Party (SDP), but the victory never saw light of the day by a Muslim Military President, Ibrahim Babangida.
A highly-competent source in the Tinubu Campaign Organisation who requested anonymity confirmed had earlier confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, the position.
The source said Tinubu would make the name of the candidate public this week.
The Vice-Presidential nominee is the immediate-past governor of Borno state and senator from the North-East part of Nigeria.
“The person is also by accident of birth a Muslim, confirming what Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State said on Saturday that Tinubu had settled for a Muslim-Muslim ticket,’’ the source said.
The source added that in picking the running mate, Tinubu was not thinking about religion, but about competence, exposure and intellectual depth of the candidate.
“The considerations given for the choice of a running mate were dictated by the need to choose an individual capable of working with the presidential candidate to take Nigeria to greater heights,’’ the source said.
But Christians in the North has described such analogy as unacceptable, saying Muslims are not the only competent persons in the North.
Tinubu is scheduled to pay Sallah homage to President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina, later today, Sunday to brief him on his choice.
The former two-term Lagos State governor won APC’s presidential ticket at the party’s June 8 Special National Convention and Presidential Primary in Abuja.
He earlier chose Ibrahim Kabiru Masari, as placeholder for the vice-presidential slot.
Tinubu was away in France from June 27 on a short vacation during which he held some strategic meetings.
He returned to Nigeria on Saturday early enough for Sallah festivities. (NAN)
