2023 presidency: Tinubu, Osinbajo’s supporters at loggerhead

Supporters of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu are at loggerheads over who will get the party’s 2023 presidential ticket.

According to sources, this might be connected to the reason Tinubu snubbed the Vice President during the latter’s London visit.

The APC leader had been convalescing in London for three months due to a surgery for an undisclosed ailment but was reportedly annoyed at the late visit of Osinbajo.

No fewer than 30 politicians, including President Muhammadu Buhari, Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Umar Ganduje (Kano), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), visited him in London.

“Essentially, Osinbajo arrived in London to attend a conference and then, see Tinubu. As he arrived, he was supposed to see Tinubu the next morning but Tinubu left town by 6 a.m. the next morning to avoid seeing him.

Even Adeboye (General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye) had arrived a day earlier and they planned to see Tinubu.

“Tinubu has ramped up his campaign and Osinbajo also wants to be president and both cannot be president.

“So, now the die is cast for the battle of his life. He has not decided to run but a lot of people are mobilising him to run.

“The president came to see Asiwaju; other leaders came; Osinbajo did not come. If Osinbajo had wanted to come, he had enough time to do so. Tinubu wanted to return because he wanted to avoid the crowd in Lagos. And he returned when he did,” he explained.

Reacting to this situation, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, slammed the reports saying Osinbajo will never “endorse an endeavour that seeks to pitch them against each other.”

“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are members of the same party,” the former senator said.

“Osinbajo regards Tinubu as a respected leader of a political family to which he belongs and will therefore not for any reason endorse an endeavour that seeks to pitch them against each other.

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“We are not unaware of some people who may want to foist a crack among our leaders. Such an attempt is abortive. Osinbajo and Tinubu relationship dates way back and it shall continue to wax strong,” Ojudu explained.