Tinubu Presents 3 Candidates As Buhari’s Running Mate Former Lagos State governor and a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu has presented three candidates as running mates to Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) ahead the party’s presidential nomination convention. Vanguard reports that Tinubu presented about three possible running mates whose names were given as Prof. Yemi Osibajo, a former commissioner in Lagos State, Senator Ajayi Borofice presently representing Ondo North in the Senate and Mr. Wale Edun, a former commissioner in Lagos State. It was gathered that the collaboration between Buhari’s camp and Tinubu’s supporters were made public last Wednesday at Buhari’s public declaration for the presidency in Abuja. It was reported that Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu got prominent presence at the occasion. However, two other choices in consideration in Buhari’s camp include Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the immediate past governor of Ekiti State, and Otunba Niyi Adebayo were reported to have been taken off from the radar by the Asiwaju forces on account of political differences. Meanwhile, Buhari and Dr. Fayemi’s relationship increased last week following Tinubu’s absence from the commissioning of the Ekiti State Government Liaison House in Lagos. It was reported that on the day of the commissioning, Tinubu disappeared, a development that seemed to have underline the increasing political disconnect between the once close men. A source revealed that the projection of the three men, Borofice, Osibajo and Edun by the Tinubu camp follows the rejection by the party’s leadership over Muslim-Muslim ticket that would have seen a Buhari- Tinubu ticket. It was gathered that Tinubu removed himself from the race and resulted to projecting his own man to be a possible number two man for the country. It was further revealed that the consideration Osibajo followed his relatively good character as well as respect in the Christian community. Osibajo, who served as attorney general and commissioner for justice during Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State governor is a senior pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Osibajo, who is said to be close to Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the RCCG is believed to balance any insinuation on the country sliding towards an Islamic path as some critics of Buhari have claimed while the consideration of Senator Borofice is based on his strategically breaking up the hold of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the Ekiti/Ondo axis, where the PDP is presently known to have set its foothold. “By bringing out Borofice, who is about the only APC senator elected official in the Ekiti/Ondo axis, we can push for presence in the two states given that the PDP is in control of those two states,” a close associate of Tinubu revealed. On the other hand, Edun, who is the third person under consideration served as commissioner of finance for the two terms Governor Tinubu between 1999 and 2007 and he is said to be in position to bring relative youth to a presidency under Buhari’s watch. “Our consideration of Edun is on the need of young blood given that Buhari is now of age and would need, young savvy men to keep him in track,” a source said. Also, Senator Olurunnimbe Mamora, is said to be like Dr. Fayemi, who is not being favourably considered by the Tinubu camp ostensibly because of his independent trait which became known during Governor Babatunde Fashola’s certification of a second term ticket in 2011.
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:52:26 +0000