Oshiomole drops presidential ambition, aligns with Tinubu

Former National  Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Adams Oshiomhole has dropped his presidential ambition, stepping down for another aspirant, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of the party.

ThisDay quoted a credible source close to the former APC national chairman and ex-Edo State governor as saying that Oshiomhole was no longer in the race due to what he described as “political and strategic reasons.”

The source further confirmed that Oshiomhole did not purchase the APC presidential nomination form because he was prevailed upon by APC stakeholders to concentrate on his senatorial ambition and align with Tinubu.

“People assumed that he (Oshiomhole) has paid for the form. He wanted to buy, but he now said okay, what is the purpose since we are on the same page with Asiwaju. So what is the purpose of buying the form? However, we had already made a point,” the source, an APC chieftain said.

He added, “He (Oshiomhole) wanted to talk about the issues, and he did. He didn’t buy the form at all. He was prevailed upon to go for the Senate.”

Oshiomhole had on April 4 in Abuja declared to contest to clinch the APC presidential ticket. He had vowed to run an economy that would ensure even distribution of wealth to Nigerians.

He also said his objectives were to reform the banking sector and other ailing sectors, including education in Nigeria, particularly the perennial ASUU-Federal Government crisis, if elected president.

Despite speculations that he paid N100 million for the presidential nomination form and launched his presidential campaign with fanfare, Oshiomhole was screened by the party for Edo North senatorial seat last weekend.

The development might again bring him in direct collision with Senator Francis Alimikhena, the APC member representing Edo North senatorial district.