National Leader of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has feigned ignorance of yesterday’s presidential declaration of his erstwhile ‘political godson’, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, saying he has no son grown enough to have made such declaration
The development came as governors of the APC said they would meet soon to discuss the presidential aspiration of Tinubu, a Third Republic senator and two-time governor of Lagos State.
The governors, however, denied speculations that the aspirations of Tinubu and Osinbajo had caused a division among them.
Tinubu spoke in Abuja shortly after meeting with about 12 APC governors.
The meeting came a few hours after Osinbajo declared his interest in the 2023 presidential election.
Osinbajo, a protegè of Tinubu, had on Sunday night met with APC governors to inform them of his ambition. Those who met with the VP Sunday night were Governors Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Babagana Umara Zulum (Borno) and Babajide Sanwoolu (Lagos).
Yesterday’s meeting, which agenda was about Tinubu’s presidential ambition held at Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja. Kebbi State governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, is the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, PGF, a think-tank for governors of the ruling party.
Those who met with Tinubu were Governors Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Mohammed Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos). Others were Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara), Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun).
Speaking after the meeting, Tinubu said he met the governors to get their buy-in. He also said he had no “son” grown enough to have made a presidential declaration.
“My mission here is to seek collaboration, support and encouragement of my party, the APC, for my ambition to become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a replacement for President Muhammadu Buhari after his tenure,” he stated.
On the declaration of his “son”, Osinbajo for the presidency, Tinubu said: “I don’t have any son grown up enough to make such declaration”.
