Buhari How President chose Osinbajo as VP over Tinubu, Fashola

A list containing the names of the three nominees was said to have been forwarded to Buhari, from which he chose Osinbajo.

 

 

A new book had revealed how President Muhammadu Buhari chose Yemi Osinbajo as his running mate in the 2015 presidential election.

It was generally believed that the national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was instrumental to Osinbajo's emergence. He was actually against it.

According to the book, an authorised biography of the President, which was launched on Monday, Buhari was to choose a running mate between Tinubu, former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, and Yemi Osinbajo.

A list containing the names of the three nominees was said to have been forwarded to Buhari, from which he chose Osinbajo despite Tinubu's opposition.

The book titled, ‘Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria,’ was written by Professor John Paden, and presented at an elaborate event at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

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Paden wrote: "With Buhari coming from the North-West geopolitical zone, the Vice-Presidency had been ceded to the South-West geopolitical zone.

"Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State and political ‘godfather’ of the South-West geopolitical zone, felt he should be the vice-presidential candidate.

"His protégée and the then popular Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, was also a possible candidate.

"Both Tinubu and Fashola were Muslims, which complicated the national balance.

"A third candidate, Yemi Osinbajo, had been Attorney General of Lagos State and a senior law professor and a pastor.

"When the three names were forwarded to Buhari, he chose Osinbajo despite enormous pressure from Tinubu."

While reviewing the book at the launch, Tinubu recalled that Osinbajo was named Buhari's running mate after much debate.

"There was the sticky issue of selecting a running mate. After careful study and discussion, it was agreed that we should field a religiously-balanced ticket given the sensitiveness of the moment," Tinubu said.

The author, however, did not disclose who forwarded the names of the three nominees to Buhari

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