By Temidayo Akinsuyi

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has his eyes firmly set on succeeding his prin­cipal, President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2023 and has already started moves to actualise his ambition, Daily Independent exclusively gathered.

This ambition, however, may put him a collision course with his political leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former La­gos State governor and national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who nominated Osinbajo as Bu­hari’s running mate in Decem­ber 2014.

While Tinubu, who returned from London last week after a knee surgery has not formally declared his interest to run in 2023, one of his key associates had told Daily Independent that he will make his position known af­ter the APC national convention when a substantive leadership of the party would have been elected.

However, several political groups, the principal one be­ing the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA ‘23) has been canvassing support for him across the country.

Our correspondent spoke with several credible sources in the party who confirmed the development even though majority of them chose to remain anonymous.

According to one of them, who was a key member of Pres­ident Buhari’s campaign team in the 2019 presidential elections, Osinbajo’s interest in the race was buoyed by the pressure by many stakeholders in the party, including associates of the pres­ident who believe that he is the “best candidate to continue from where Buhari will stop in 2023”.

He said those pushing for Osinbajo also believe that hav­ing understudied President Bu­hari as vice president for over six years without showing any sign of disloyalty, Osinbajo will continue with the policies of the Buhari administration if elected president.

Speaking further, he said age factor and the clam our by some stakeholders in the party that if APC should zone the presidential ticket to the South, a Christian should succeed President Buhari. Tinubu is a Muslim.

“Osinbajo has his eyes set on becoming the president in 2023. There is no doubt about that. He has not come out directly but he is using some fronts as proxy. His belief is that the cabals in the presidency and those that matter in the North will not accept an Asiwaju Tinubu candidacy.

“Right now, some groups have started campaigning publicly for him and he did not restrain or disown them. Many people are not aware of this but the truth is that he has more or less relocated his base to Ogun State in Ikenne, thereby sending a signal that he is not a Lagosian.

“He has also set up some com­mittees to help him go round the country to assess the situation, his chances and the challenges he may face. He is also banking on the belief that the Christian community in Nigeria will solid­ly back him”, he said.

When asked how Osinbajo will cope given the fact that he has no political base especially in the South-West, our source said the only thing Osinbajo needs is the endorsement by President Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu.

“It is wrong for anyone to say Osinbajo doesn’t have a po­litical base. Stop comparing the Osinbajo of today with the one that was Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos then. Do you know what it means to be the number two man in Nigeria? I think it is childish for anyone to say that a man who has been in office as vice president for more than six years and had also served as act­ing president doesn’t have politi­cal base. He has political base not just in the South-West but across the country".

“The only thing he needs is the endorsement by President Buhari and blessings of Asiwa­ju. He may not get that of Asiwa­ju given the current situation but if President Buhari, who is truly the leader of the party anoints him, everyone including Asiwa­ju will fall in line”, he said.

When contacted, Laolu Akande, spokesperson to the vice president, said his principal had issued several statements that he is not focused on 2023 right now and that his position remains unchanged.

In one of the statements, Osinbajo had said he has not declared any interest what soever in the 2023 election, but he is rather focused on working in his capacity as vice president in the Buhari administration to address all the compelling issues in the country.

However, a serving senator in the South-West said that he is confident that Tinubu will not contest in 2023.

“The question is, will Asiwa­ju run in 2023? I strongly believe that he is not going to run. All these activities by SWAGA and others are just to create anxiety in the system. He knows they will stand in his way and he won’t get the APC ticket. So, he won’t want to throw away his money by contesting.

“All what they are doing now is to charge up the polity so that at the end of the day, everybody will pander to him and he will have a say in whoever becomes the presidential candidate. I’m 99 percent certain that he is not going to run. You can take my words to the bank”, he noted.

https://independent.ng/2023-presidency-osinbajo-on-a-collision-course-with-tinubu-pushes-to-succeed-buhari/

Wahala be like 2023

Awon ojelu

Osibanjo or Fashola

I'm just confident that Tinubu no go run for 2023 election.
He's only playing the game. You don't make your move early

BTW, 2023 should be the first time we chase y
Fulani's out of power
President - Osibanjo - Yoruba
Vice - Zulum - Kanuri
S.P - Orji Kalu - Igbo
Speaker - Just give one S.S man

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) is the people's choice!
He fits into all the criteria required for a cosmopolitan candidate that should succeed Mr.Buhari.
He'll be widely accepted by all than Jagaban, as the latter is being perceived as a brutal core party man in the opposition cycle.

The odds and tides are obviously against Jagaban as he has outdone himself already in the polity.

i even heard APC has recognised Osinbajo campaign group. Tinubu will shock his supporters when he says he will not run

I would love to have a cerebral and highly respected man like Osinbajo as our next president, but, I am sorry to say this, that Pastor tag he carries is a bad market in the north, especially if a northerner is on the ballot for PDP.


Meanwhile, Tinubu is the most popular southern politician in the north.




If anybody thinks that, Tinubu will forget his own ambition to support another, despite all the bright chances he has to become president, that person doesn't know anything about politics.


Tinubu would rather destroy APC and revive ACN, the man has a strong sense of entitlement to the seat.



I AM DONE TALKING

If 2021 bi like dis, how 2022 wan kom bi

Facing a choice of two evils...I would rather have Osinbajo over Tinubu.
I doubt both men will end up as president, none will even make it past the primaries without the blessing of the jihadists.
Tinubu has more chances of being struck by lightning than becoming president.

[s]

Sammy07:


Osibanjo or Fashola

I'm just confident that Tinubu no go run for 2023 election.
He's only playing the game. You don't make your move early

BTW, 2023 should be the first time we chase y
Fulani's out of power
President - Osibanjo - Yoruba
Vice - Zulum - Kanuri
S.P - Orji Kalu - Igbo
Speaker - Just give one S.S man

[/s]

Omo agege for Senate President
A northerner or Yoruba for House of rep speaker.

Sammy07:


Osibanjo or Fashola

I'm just confident that Tinubu no go run for 2023 election.
He's only playing the game. You don't make your move early

BTW, 2023 should be the first time we chase y
Fulani's out of power
President - Osibanjo - Yoruba
Vice - Zulum - Kanuri
S.P - Orji Kalu - Igbo
Speaker - Just give one S.S man

You don change mouth now abi

Guy you're not stable

The north don't like Tinubu and will never support him

Aufbauh:
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) is the people's choice!
He fits into all the criteria required for a cosmopolitan candidate that should succeed Mr.Buhari.
He'll be widely accepted by all than Jagaban, as the latter is being perceived as a brutal core party man in the opposition cycle.

The odds and tides are obviously against Jagaban as he has outdone himself already in the polity.

Dis one don quickly backtrack from Tinubu

When I said Tinubu will soon be humiliated the second time , you thought I was joking

You have no idea what Buhari is planning

He will soon be disgraced

Cc Seunmsg

PrinceOfLagos:

You don change mouth now abi

Guy you're not stable

The north don't like Tinubu and will never support him

You can look for any of my post where I supported Tinubu against Fashola or Osinbajo

HOWEVER
If the only option we have is Tinubu or Fayemi in the APC presidential race, I'll gladly vote them against any northerner. So long he is Yoruba

We Yorubas can't repeat the mistake of 1999.

Sammy07:


You can look for any of my post where I supported Tinubu against Fashola or Osinbajo

HOWEVER
If the only option we have is Tinubu or Fayemi in the APC presidential race, I'll gladly vote them against any northerner. So long he is Yoruba

We Yorubas can't repeat the mistake of 1999.

We will support Osibanjo over Tinubu because Tinubu is worst than a criminal

PrinceOfLagos:

We will support Osibanjo over Tinubu because Tinubu is worst than a criminal

Who are the we?
Speak for yourself, you ain't Yoruba

you won't be among the delegates that will votes in APC primary.

If at all Osibanjo or Fashola loose out and Tinubu in.
We Yorubas will gladly vote him over any northerner

Get that into your head.

Lies

PrinceOfLagos:

Dis one don quickly backtrack from Tinubu

When I said Tinubu will soon be humiliated the second time , you thought I was joking

You have no idea what Buhari is planning

He will soon be disgraced

Cc Seunmsg

Haba, is it how shallow you are or you're simply being mischievous?
Go and check all my post or comments about 2023 presidential candidate. I've never hidden my support for Osinbajo candidature from day one.
However that doesn't mean that I do not admire Jagaban and what he stands for.

Political jobbers are at work again.

Sammy07:


You can look for any of my post where I supported Tinubu against Fashola or Osinbajo

HOWEVER
If the only option we have is Tinubu or Fayemi in the APC presidential race, I'll gladly vote them against any northerner. So long he is Yoruba

We Yorubas can't repeat the mistake of 1999.

Which mistake of 99? In 1999 Obasanjo a Yoruba man was voted

SarkinYarki:


Which mistake of 99? In 1999 Obasanjo a Yoruba man was voted

A Yoruba man, against Yoruba choice.
We didn't even feel his presence between 99 to 03.

The way we go make use of Lagos- Ibadan express way media for the 2023 heh, we go make so many people More confused

what's all this nah,make una wait for them to declare their interest nah

Sammy07:


Osibanjo or Fashola

I'm just confident that Tinubu no go run for 2023 election.
He's only playing the game. You don't make your move early

BTW, 2023 should be the first time we chase y
Fulani's out of power
President - Osibanjo - Yoruba
Vice - Zulum - Kanuri
S.P - Orji Kalu - Igbo
Speaker - Just give one S.S man

There wouldn't be erection in alaigbo in 2023 so no senator will come from that side

Sammy07:


Osibanjo or Fashola

I'm just confident that Tinubu no go run for 2023 election.
He's only playing the game. You don't make your move early

BTW, 2023 should be the first time we chase y
Fulani's out of power
President - Osibanjo - Yoruba
Vice - Zulum - Kanuri
S.P - Orji Kalu - Igbo
Speaker - Just give one S.S man

Tinubu always ensures he wins the competition before the event starts. That guy will contest, and honestly, I'm yet to see a candidate that can defeat him in the primaries, not even the VP. The honest people are sleeping, but the corrupt ones are working super hard

No wonder Osinbajo wasn't here yesterday

Nigerians are not ready for good leader. To me is better the Country divide because we are too tribalism and sentimental, They said is injustice for North to become next Nigeria President come 2023, that is the turn of South but is not injustice in the Southern Nigeria if South west become the next President in place of South East who have not produce any president from Southern Nigeria.

They said Atiku is Corrupt that he is the major reason why Obasanjo regime never make a meaningful progress but the same people will tell you that Osinbajo will be the best President if he is elected, that V.P have no such power to turn thing around since he is not a president. They forget that this regime is the worstest that Nigeria has ever witness.

According to what I heard from my parent during Buhari/Idiagbon regime . Many Nigeria refers it as Idiagbon regime because he was seen as the man behind any progress made during that time. I'm not against anybody become a president of Nigeria but let us the masses shun tribalism, Pastor thing, Religions but vote base on fairness and equity if we still want a united Nigeria. Instead of bringing continuity of our present condition.

It's a family affairs

Sammy07:


A Yoruba man, against Yoruba choice.
We didn't even feel his presence between 99 to 03.

Mad from 1999 till today that Tinubu has been in charge of Lagos what presence did you feel?

Do you have potable water supply to your house ?

Do you have good roads?

Do you have proper accces to affordable and effective healthcare?

Does Lagos now have Sewage treatment?

What have you felt from Tinubu

SarkinYarki:



Mad from 1999 till today that Tinubu has been in charge of Lagos what presence did you feel?

Do you have potable water supply to your house ?

Do you have good roads?

Do you have proper accces to affordable and effective healthcare?

Does Lagos now have Sewage treatment?

What have you felt from Tinubu

Direct those questions to Lagosians.