Osinbajo avoids Tinubu, sends rep to Aisha Buhari’s dinner

In what appeared a failed first meet with the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo did not attend the Ramadan Iftar (dinner) put together by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari.

Rather, the Vice President sent a representative to the dinner held at the Conference Centre of the Presidential Villa.

The dinner in Abuja was held on Saturday by President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife for presidential candidates of all political parties.

Those who had been looking forward to what a first time meeting will look like between “son” (Osinbajo) and “father” (Tinubu) did not have the opportunity to so do.

While Tinubu was present at the dinner, Osinbajo sent a former Governor of Edo State, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, to represent him.

Since Osinbajo declared his intention to stand for the 2023 presidential election on April 11, 2022, there had been a sense of unease in his camp and that of Tinubu, who appointed him as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice when he was the Lagos State Governor.

Tinubu was also said to have endorsed Osinbajo as the running mate of Buhari in 2015 after much persuasion.

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After the two-term Governor of Lagos State declared his intention to contest the presidential election, many had thought Osinbajo would drop his based on the fact that they both belong to the same political camp.

At the dinner, Osinbajo urged all aspirants to play politics without bitterness.

Speaking through his representative, he said the dinner offered Nigerians from different faiths and background the opportunity to reunite with one another to foster unity.

He said: “It is an opportunity for aspirants from various political parties to meet one another and the lesson we should learn from here is to practise politics without bitterness as we move closer to election year.

“We should try to imbibe the spirit of oneness because at the end of the contest, only one person is going to emerge winner of the presidential election next year.

“So, it is not going to be do-or-die affair.

“We should learn to practise politics without bitterness.”

On his part, Tinubu expressed gratitude to the First Lady for bringing the diverse groups of Nigerians to share love and unity.

Tinubu prayed for brotherliness, peace, unity and prosperity of Nigeria.

EAGLE