Politics

Osinbajo Notifies Buhari Of Presidential Ambition

Published

3 years ago

March 14, 2022

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has finally informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his presidential ambition, Daily Trust learnt from credible sources.

The sources said the VP told the president of his desire to take over from him at the expiration of his tenure in 2023 to consolidate the achievements they recorded since they took over from the opposition PDP in 2015.

With the intent, which had not been made public, the vice president will struggle for the ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with the likes of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who had a few months ago visited the Presidential Villa where he told Buhari of his intention to succeed him.

There are reports that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele and the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi would also vie for the presidency even as the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige had said he would soon join the race.

Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzo Kalu, and Senator Rochas Okorocha have all declared their interest in the presidency on the platform of the APC amid speculations that some aspirants from the North would soon join the race.

“Certainly, VP Osinbajo has told the president that he wants to succeed him,” one of our sources said.

READ ALSO:

“The vice president had first consulted some prominent Nigerians who encouraged him to vie for the presidency and they also encouraged him to tell the president himself.

“They told him not to allow a third party to tell the president so that the ambition will not be misconstrued,” he said.

Another source said when Osinbajo approached the president with the story, Buhari was not surprised.

“Buhari smiled in his usual characteristic manner…he listened to the VP carefully and while responding, he gave him the green light and wished him well without giving him any commitment or assurance of supporting him ahead of other contenders.

“He blessed the intention just the way he blessed Tinubu when he visited him in the Villa and unveiled his plan to vie for the presidency.

“And I think the president is being careful. Remember what he said while granting an interview to a national television.”

Though Osinbajo, a lawyer, politician and pastor, is yet to declare his intention to run for the office of president in 2023, many support groups and individuals have sprung up rooting for him.

The groups have been going round the country and sponsoring adverts in print and broadcast media urging the vice president to contest.

Another source said recent happenings indicated that Osinbajo will “Definitely slug it out with Tinubu and others for the APC ticket.”

He said, “The projection in certain quarters that the VP will not contest against Tinubu is now over. The two of them who are from the South West would confront each other. They both have their support bases but Tinubu, of course, is more of a politician than Osinbajo. He has more support base across the country but that notwithstanding, the truth is that whoever the president supports would surely have an upper hand,” he said.

Why VP shelved today’s meeting with APC state chairmen

The vice president on Sunday postponed his planned meeting with all the state chairmen of the ruling APC who had converged on Abuja.

The meeting would have been the major contact of the VP with party chieftains from across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

Sources said the meeting was planned ahead of Osinbajo’s formal declaration for the presidency, which would have put paid to all speculations around his presidential ambition.

Multiple sources said the meeting planned to hold today (Monday) at night was shelved because of a directive from the villa.

It was learnt that accommodation had been reserved for the state APC chairmen while some of them had already arrived Abuja ahead of the meeting before it was abruptly shelved.

APC sources in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Kaduna, Osun, Cross River, Adamawa, Bauchi, among others, said they were aware of the meeting with Osinbajo and had mobilised for it.

A member of the APC in Kaduna who is familiar with the development said the meeting was shelved after rumours began to fly that the vice president was planning to use the chairmen to promote his political ambition.

READ ALSO:

The APC Chairman in Cross River State, Barrister Alphonsus Ogar Eba confirmed that he was invited to Abuja to attend the meeting.

He said he was in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State attending a colleague’s social event when he received the invite.

“As I speak with you, I am inside an aircraft to Abuja to attend a meeting with the presidency. I am told the meeting is called off or put on hold but I am inside an aircraft.”

The Bauchi State Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Babayo Ali Misau, through the Publicity Secretary of the party, Adamu Aliyu Jallah also confirmed that he was invited for the meeting with Osinbajo.

A credible source within the APC in Adamawa State told our reporter that the state Chairman of the party, Ibrahim Bilal was in Abuja to attend the meeting.

A party source in Kano told our correspondent that their Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, was also in Abuja.

We don’t know why meeting was postponed – Chairmen

The APC chairmen in Lagos and Enugu who confirmed that they were invited for the meeting with the VP said they don’t know why it was postponed or when it will eventually hold.

Lagos Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, who said Osinbajo as their principal had the right to meet with them, added that it was unhealthy to speculate the purpose of the invitation. He noted that the outcome of such a meeting would be communicated, whenever it was held.

When asked if the meeting was convened by the VP to declare his intention to seek the presidential ticket of the APC, Ojelabi said Prof Osinbajo had the right to aspire for any position.

“He has the right to contest but the members of APC will decide who they are going to field as their candidate,” he said.

He said Lagos APC was supporting the aspiration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu because the former governor of Lagos state was the only aspirant from the South West who had declared his intent to run for the office of the president in 2023.

His counterpart in Enugu, Ugochukwu Agballah, who said he was on his way to Abuja when he heard of the postponement, added that he can’t pre-empt the purpose of the gathering.

“I am not an aide of the VP, I don’t know if he is going to use the meeting to announce his intention. He might have also called the meeting to resolve the issues in the party, so it is not good to pre-empt or speculate,” he said.

Real reason meeting was postponed

Sources in the APC and the Villa said the Osinbajo’s meeting with the state chairmen was halted at the last minute at the instance of President Buhari.

One of them said, “You know that Buhari is in London and he had hosted many interest groups from the government and the party.

“Of course, there was clearance for the meeting but after the president was briefed on the uncertainty around the party and pressure on the polity, he was advised to give directive for the meeting not to hold.”

But another source said the scheduled meeting was not on Osinbajo’s ambition.

He said, “The vice president was directed to meet with the chairmen because of the crisis bedeviling the ruling party. They supposed to discuss some contentious issues ahead of the NEC meeting coming up on Thursday preparatory to the national convention on March 26.”

However, a reliable source at the APC headquarters said the postponed meeting was fixed for 8:30pm and it was meant for the VP to get the support of the state chairmen ahead of his declaration for the presidential race.

“The Vice president knows that they are key delegates at the convention. He (Osinbajo) will declare for the presidential race. As long as President Muhammadu Buhari is alive, he will get the APC presidential ticket,” he said.

Contacted to comment on whether the VP had gotten a green light from President Buhari to declare for the presidency, Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande said, “Like I said last week, any information regarding the activities of the vice president will be communicated officially.”

READ ALSO:

When asked to confirm if the vice president planned to meet with state party chairmen, he said: “I don’t know about it. But I will find out.”

VP in a fix over Tinubu, RCCG

Daily Trust reports that apart from pressure in some quarters within the APC, the VP was also in a dilemma because of his relationship with Tinubu.

A chieftain of the party, Senator Abu Ibrahim had told the Daily Trust that Osinbajo would find it difficult to contest against Tinubu.

He said that Asiwaju and Osinbajo had come a long way. “Osinbajo was Tinubu’s commissioner in Lagos State. It was Tinubu who picked him for the vice presidency and so, he will not be in contest with him,” he said.

Some sources said the creation of the directorate for politics and governance recently by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), where Osinbajo is a senior pastor, had raised an eyebrow in many quarters.

They described the development as a move to use the church’s large followership across Nigeria and beyond to actualize the VP’s presidential bid.

But the church had said that the new directorate was expected to help mobilise support for members of the church who were into politics.

Daily Trust

Related Topics:ambition Buhari Featured Osinbajo Presidential

Up Next

APC chair: Pressure mounts on Buhari to drop Adamu

Don't Miss

APC Chairmanship Race: Why I Won’t Step Down For Buhari’s ‘Anointed Candidate’ – Al-Makura

Politics

Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo

Published

11 hours ago

March 25, 2025

Trends Admin

Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advanced reasons for what he called abysmal failure of democracy in Africa.

According to him, African presidents work with a clique and wield enormous powers with little or no resistance from perpetuating illegalities and abuse of office.

The ex-President said the democracy being practised in Africa does not aligned with the people’s values, culture, and way of life.

Obasanjo said spoke on Monday at a colloquium in Abuja to mark the 60th birthday of Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of Imo State.

The former Nigerian leader, who chaired the event, referencing Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” said the system should work for all citizens rather than a privileged few.

He however wondered if African countries are practising true democracy or only adopting Western Liberal democracy.

He said, “If you are talking about democracy failing in Africa, democracy in Africa has failed. And why has it failed?

“Because in context and in content, it is not Africa. It does not have any aspect of our culture, our way of life, what we stand for, what we believe.

“Today, we have democracy, which is the government of a small number of people, by a small number of people over a large number of people who are deprived of what they need to have in life. That is not democracy that will endure.

“It is ‘I am because I can grab.’ What sort of democracy brings you, and you grab everything and then illegally, corruptly, and you say go to court? When you know that even in the court, you cannot get justice.

“It’s not that democracy is failing, democracy is dying and if we are going to make democracy not to die, we have to look at democracy in the context and in the content of Africa. I hope that we will get to that stage so that democracy which will deliver will be the democracy that we will have in Africa.”

Obasanjo was Nigeria’s military ruler from 1976 to 1979 and democratically elected president from 1999 to 2007.

Politics

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Published

3 days ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has cast doubt on the ability of a newly formed opposition coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.

Shekarau described the alliance, which includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, as a gathering of individuals with personal political ambitions rather than a structured and unified opposition front.

His remarks came just two days after the coalition’s formation was announced, with the stated goal of challenging Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau, Shekarau remarked, “This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership.”

READ ALSO:

He further argued that a coalition featuring prominent figures does not necessarily equate to an effective political alliance.

“The coalition of opposition figures is a good development, as seen in their recent meeting under what they call an opposition alliance. However, none of the key figures involved represents their party leadership,” Shekarau stated.

Emphasizing the legal framework for political mergers, he pointed out that only registered parties could formally unite, making the recent gathering an informal arrangement rather than an officially recognized coalition.

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Politics

PDP gives condition to back Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai in 2027

Published

3 days ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi

PDP gives condition to back Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai in 2027

Although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hasn’t made its official position known on the coalition being put together by some key leaders of the opposition to wrestle power from the ruling party at the federal level, All Progressives Congress (APC), and President Bola Tinubu ahead of 2027, Sunday Vanguard understands that the PDP may join forces with them on one condition: The process will not lead to its loss of identity.

The PDP was in power for 16 years before the APC dislodged it from the Presidential Villa in 2015 when then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan lost reelection to former President Buhari.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, had, last week, announced his decision to join the coalition with other members of opposition parties to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

Atiku was responding to a call by a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El-Rufai, to key members of opposition parties in the country to come together and fight Tinubu and APC in 2027.

El-Rufai had made the call while dumping the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

In his response, the former PDP presidential candidate confirmed that he, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Mr Peter Obi, and El-Rufai, among others, had kick-started a movement aimed at defeating Tinubu’s APC in the 2027 elections.

He spoke at a press conference organized by Nigeria’s key opposition leaders and political stakeholders to discuss the President’s controversial declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.

When journalists asked whether the emerging coalition would be the major opposition force against the APC in 2027, Atiku did not mince words.
“Yes,” he declared.

Clarity

Sources within the PDP told Sunday Vanguard at the weekend that the party will expect the former presidential candidate to give clarity to his decision soon.

READ ALSO:

A member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter was “yet to be discussed at the official level,” said, “We expect him to shed more light on his decision as we proceed.

“For now, he is still a high ranking member of our party the PDP.

“We have been following his public statements and engagements and he hasn’t announced to anyone that he is leaving or has left our party.

“Yes, he left the party on two previous occasions over the past two decades -first to join Tinubu’s Action Congress (AC) to contest the 2007 presidential election; and in 2013 or thereabouts to join others to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Note, however, that on each of these occasions he returned to the PDP.

“Now, whether he is planning to leave to join others or he wants others to come join us to beat the APC rigging machine in 2027, only he can explain. “For now, from my interactions with members of his team, one thing is clear, this time around, Atiku’s move is a strategic step towards unifying opposition forces against the ruling APC.

‘Significant shift’

“His announcement of the formation of a coalition signals a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape, as opposition leaders seek to present a united front against the current administration.

“The proposed coalition is expected to bring together key political parties and stakeholders, including prominent figures like Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

“It’s worth noting that Atiku’s decision might not be universally accepted within the PDP, as some members may have different opinions on the best strategy to challenge the APC in 2027.

“Nevertheless, Atiku’s move demonstrates his commitment to opposing the current administration and his willingness to work with other opposition parties to achieve this goal.”

Identity

The party chieftain further explained that a majority of leaders and members of the PDP are resolute in their desire to ensure that the party retains its identity.

According to him, a former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, spoke the minds of most leaders and members of the PDP when he dismissed El-Rufai’s call to dump the party and join the SDP.

Lamido said in an interview, “The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai. You’re not enough to make us leave the PDP.

“He (El-Rufai) once said that there are no elders in Nigerian politics, but now he is calling on us to join him in the SDP.”

Lamido equally questioned El-Rufai’s motive for dumping the APC for the SDP and his motivation for seeking power.

“Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole”, he said.

While restating his loyalty to the PDP, Lamido said the party which he helped to form hasn’t done anything wrong to warrant him leaving to join another.

His views resonated with another leader and foundation member of the PDP, Chief Bode George, who has told whoever cares to listen that he is in the PDP to stay.