2023PRESIDENCY: Why Buhari May Anoint VP Osinbajo Over Bola Tinubu—-Although the 2023 general election is still two years away, different political groups are intensifying lobby for their preferred candidates.
Within the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu and Ekiti State governor and some of the names being speculated to contest for the Presidential ticket of the party.
According to THE WHISTLER reports, a presidential aide said President Muhammadu Buhari may be more disposed to handing over to Osinbajo than Tinubu.
The aide dropped the hint while reacting to this website’s exclusive reports on Osinbajo dropping out of the race due to pressure from Mr Tinubu and his supporters.
The aide, who pleaded anonymity, said a clique around the president is more “favourably disposed to anointing Osinbajo instead of Tinubu.”
According to him, the President acknowledged the impediment his age has contributed to his poor show in managing Nigeria and would rather leave a better legacy of successor than “a man with a lot of baggage and age question marks.”
He referred THE WHISTLER to commentaries on social media regarding Tinubu’s age and alleged corruption allegation, stressing these are issues that could make the APC lose the 2023 election if Tinubu is fielded.
“At the Villa (Nigeria’s seat of power), it would be bad luck to anoint Tinubu. The President knows that, we all know that.
“When the time is right for the President to do his missionary anointing, trust me, you would be the first to get the scoop. For now, that’s that,’
Moreover, he said, Buhari and those around him have not forgiven Tinubu for what he did to Buhari’s campaign in 2011. According to him, Tinubu had an alliance with Buhari but also had a deal with then President Goodluck Jonathan who needed South West votes to win.
Tinubu is believed to have betrayed Buhari by working to help Jonathan win the 2011 election. “They still remember what he did and may likely pay him back in 2023,” he said.
Spokesmen of Osinbajo and Tinubu, Mr Laolu Akande and Tunde Rahman did not respond when THE WHISTLER contacted them..
But there have been reactions from supporters of both politicians even as none of them has spoken about their ambition.
The visit of top APC players to Tinubu since his return from London has been putting pressure on other aspirants.
He recently received governors from the South West led by Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who told journalists that Tinubu is “our leader in the South West.” Other party bigwigs, including the Caretaker Chairman of the APC , Mai Mala Buni , have visited him in his Lagos residence. These visits are being seen as subtle endorsement of his presidential bid in 2023.
As at the last count, more than 100 supporters have registered to advance his political aspiration.
On the hand, there have been an upsurge of online campaign and pocket of support groups stepping up for the vice president.
Analysts believe it is still too early in the day to determine where the pendulum would finally swing.
