Ahead of the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the support group of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown optimism about winning the ticket to become the party’s flagbearer.
Speaking on Osinbajo’s perceived threat to Tinubu’s ambition, Mr. Tolu Babaleye, Director-General of Ondo State Network for Bola Tinubu, said: “We at Tinubu Support Group, Ondo State are not scared of Osinbajo, Emefiele or Amaechi joining the presidential race. “This is democracy and the more the merrier. Their joining will only present the delegates that will vote at the primary with more options.
“We believe that Tinubu will win because he has worked and has a clear goal of what he wants to achieve if elected as President.
“He has been planning for this for close to 25 years and knows what he is out to achieve and what that office entails.“Nigerians in APC during the primary will not want to toy with the future of the party by electing any other person as these people are not as prepared as Tinubu and are even afraid of the contest and hence they are busy looking for endorsement.
“As for us in Tinubu camp, our Principal is prepared for the primary and he is good to go. On the contrary, Osinbajo, Emefiele and Amaechi are the ones that are afraid of the profile and preparedness of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Reacting, Adeyeye said: “I don’t react to speculation, I have not seen any move. Up till now, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has not made his interest known. Until he does, nothing to say for now.
“The speculation has been on for a while now, social media is awash with the speculation and the Vice President has not told anyone, neither has he gone public with any interest. The rumored ambition exists only in the realm of speculation and I don’t react to speculation. “The same applied to others in our great party rumored to be interested in the office of the President but they are yet to come out with it. The only person that has gone public with his interest in the race is the Governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello.”
On his part, Dr Ayo Owoade, Director General, Osun, Bola Ahmed Tinubu Our Choice 2023 (BATOC 23), said: “We are not bothered by anyone declaring intention for the Presidency. We are in a democracy and everyone has the constitutional right to express interest and even contest for the office but for us, we are for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.“The former Lagos State Governor has paid his dues before this democratic dispensation with his struggles with NADECO, his re-engineering of Lagos government and his continuous engagement in the nation’s political process, so he has the capacity and ability to confront anyone.
“Concerning Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, we believe that considering the impact Asiwaju Tinubu had in his life, he may not declare for the presidency and if he does, we are battle ready for anyone.” ‘APC ticket not a Yoruba affair’
However, former Minister of Communication, and, chieftain of the APC, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said the battle for the APC ticket and the presidency are not a Yoruba affair alone as many party chieftains across the country are vying for the exalted post.
“Osinbajo has the right like any other interested person. At the appropriate time, party members will decide who gets the ticket. And mind you, it is not even only in Yorubaland alone. There will be competition across the country. I only hope the party will allow a proper primary election to hold. That is my hope,” Shittu said.
In like manner, former Chief Whip of the Oyo State House of Assembly and a chieftain of the APC, Mr. Abiodun Adigun-Hammed, said: “All I want is the best for this country. The President must come from the South. That is what we have been clamouring for. Let southerners come on board. Whoever gets the ticket from this zone will get our support. Whoever is taking over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 must be a southerner.”
Meanwhile, the Coordinator for Senator Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (SABAT) in Osun State, Wole Alawode, said every other intending aspirant should be wary of Tinubu and not the other way round.
“Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is a product of the Bola Tinubu school of politics, so for us, we are not afraid of anyone coming forward to show interest in the presidency. We have been around for a long time and the Tinubu project is universal, though, every other person with interest should not be discouraged from doing so. But they should know that Asiwaju is the one to beat,” Alawode said.
“We are not into rivalry with anyone. The space is wide for anyone with intent to contest but whoever is coming on board must realise that Asiwaju’s acceptability and project cannot be compromised.”
