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2023: Why Osinbajo Should Take Over From Tinubu

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2023: Why Osinbajo Should Take Over From Tinubu By Temidayo Akinsuyi

As the 2023 presidential election begins to gather momentum, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been urged not to reject the ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) if stakeholders in the party picks him as their preferred candidate.
2023: Why Osinbajo Should Take Over From Tinubu

Speaking exclusively with Daily Independent, Senator Rufai Hanga, pioneer national chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), said from the looks of things in the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari may not honour the pact he had with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former Lagos State governor and APC national leader, that he will support him to become the party’s presidential flagbearer in the 2023 elections.

Osinbajo, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice during Tinubu’s eight years as Lagos State governor, was nominated by Tinubu as running mate to Buhari, then APC presidential candidate in December 2014.

Tinubu, who had earlier been penciled down by Buhari as his running mate was dropped after party leaders rejected the idea of the APC fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

With intense clamour from several groups on Tinubu and Osinbajo to contest in 2023, analysts have predicted that the vice president may bow out of the race in deference to his former principal, so as not to be labelled as a “betrayer”.

However, Hanga, who recently dumped the APC, said Osinbajo should accept the ticket if offered to him by the party, adding that there is no way doing so will amount to a betrayal if the party rejects Tinubu.

He said Osinbajo turning down the offer to become APC’s flagbearer after the party leadership has rejected Tinubu will amount to the Tinubu group losing out completely in the party.

He said, “I think if Osinbajo contests in 2023, it is not a betrayal to his former boss, Asiwaju. I believe Osinbajo is a complete gentleman. He is one of the most respected politicians in this country. I respect him too. I assure you that if he goes for the presidency, I may support him”.
“I want to guarantee you that Osinbajo will not go for the presidency until it is clear that Asiwaju is not contesting. If he sees clearly that the people in APC will not allow Asiwaju to contest, I am sure he will accept to run because he will not want the two of them to lose out.
“If APC says to Osinbajo ‘come let us give you our presidential ticket, we don’t want Asiwaju’, he will agree. To me, that is the most responsible thing to do. That to me is not betrayal and I am sure even Asiwaju will not be angry if he does that because it is the same thing.
“If APC rejects Asiwaju tomorrow and they said they wanted Osinbajo, I will advise him to accept it because it will still benefit Asiwaju.

“All Osinbajo needs do is to look for a person with strong followership in the North as running mate. They will definitely win. If Osinbajo is given the ticket now and he picks somebody like Kwankwaso, I swear to God, they will surely win.

“In the North, there is nobody like Kwankwaso now in terms of popularity. Kwankwaso today is what Buhari was in the North”.
On the pact which he claimed existed between the president and Tinubu, Hanga said associates of Buhari thought he had integrity when they were campaigning for him but saw his true colour after attaining power.
“I hope he will honour the agreement but I doubt if he will do so. Yes, people say he is a man of integrity. We also said that too, that he has integrity. That was why we sold and marketed him to Nigerians. But after he got to power, we saw a different thing altogether.
“We believed that he was a man of integrity; we believed that he is pious but after getting what he wants, we discovered a different thing altogether. So, I hope he will honour the pact he had with Asiwaju but I doubt if he would.
“Right now, there are people who are trying to manipulate him and he doesn’t have the strong will to do things. Some people say he has no capacity and I want to believe them that truly, he has no capacity.
“Somebody with capacity will question so many things going on around him. Buhari hears but he doesn’t listen. I can’t guarantee he will honour his agreement with Asiwaju on 2023 presidency”.

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Captain Buratai Joins Borno Assembly Race, Sparks Youth Mobilisation in Biu

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Captain Buratai Joins Borno Assembly Race, Sparks Youth Mobilisation in Biu

 

Pilot Muhammad Tukur Buratai (MTTB), son of former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has intensified political activities in Borno State after purchasing the nomination form of the All Progressives Congress to contest for a seat in the Borno State House of Assembly.

General Buratai Backs Son’s Political Ambition, Calls For Greater Youth Inclusion In Governance

The young aviator is seeking to represent Biu Constituency, a move many political observers describe as a bold transition from professional service into active grassroots politics.

 

 

Supporters of the aspirant insist his emergence represents a blend of youthfulness, exposure and leadership capacity needed in the state legislature at a time when demands for greater youth representation in governance continue to gain momentum across the country.

 

Unlike conventional political entrants, allies of captain Buratai argue that his aviation background has equipped him with discipline, technical knowledge, calm decision-making and strategic coordination skills considered valuable in public leadership.

 

 

Political watchers within Biu also believe his candidacy could energise younger voters and strengthen grassroots participation within the APC ahead of the party primaries.

 

His growing acceptance, according to supporters, is also linked to his accessibility, community engagement and understanding of the developmental concerns facing youths and rural communities within the constituency.

 

The aspirant recently met with his father to seek his blessing ahead of the political contest, a development seen by many as a symbolic endorsement of his ambition and readiness for public service.

 

 

Stakeholders within the constituency say his entry into the race has already altered political calculations in the area, with consultations and mobilisation intensifying across several wards.

 

Supporters further maintain that beyond family name recognition, the young aspirant possesses the educational exposure, leadership orientation and communication skills required to effectively represent the interests of the people at the legislative level.

 

 

As political activities gather momentum ahead of the elections, many within Biu believe his emergence could usher in a new generation of leadership focused on youth empowerment, education, economic opportunities and community development.

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Ajadi Congratulates Bimbo Adekanmbi, Vows Supports to 2027 Governorship Project

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Ajadi Congratulates Bimbo Adekanmbi, Vows Supports to 2027 Governorship Project

 

 

Prominent political figures within the Team Seyi Makinde political structure in Oyo State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo and Hon. Adedeji Stanley Olajide, popularly known as Odidiomo, have congratulated Chief Bimbo Adekanmbi following his emergence as the consensus governorship candidate of the political movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.

 

The duo, who also emerged as consensus senatorial candidates for Oyo Central and Oyo South Senatorial Districts, respectively, pledged total support for Adekanmbi’s governorship ambition, while assuring residents of Oyo State of inclusive governance and continuity of developmental policies associated with Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration.

 

“I throw my full support behind Chief Bimbo Adekanmbi as the consensus governorship candidate chosen by our political leaders through a unified process,” Ajadi said.

 

He added, “His emergence reflects unity, consultation, and the collective resolve of our political family, and we are fully committed to delivering victory in 2027.”

 

According to him, the endorsement of Adekanmbi was based on competence, loyalty, administrative experience, and the need to sustain ongoing developmental strides in the state.

 

Also reacting to the development, Hon. Stanley Odidiomo expressed appreciation to stakeholders for the confidence reposed in the candidates selected through consensus.

 

He assured party loyalists and supporters that the candidates would work collectively to deepen democratic dividends across the state.

 

“This is not about individual ambition alone; it is about protecting the future of Oyo State and consolidating on the achievements already recorded. We are united, and we are prepared to serve the people with sincerity and fairness,” Odidiomo said.

 

Sources close to the meeting disclosed that discussions centered on political unity, grassroots mobilization, and sustaining the developmental momentum associated with Governor Makinde’s administration.

 

The Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Abdulraheem Adebayo Lawal, was also said to have witnessed the strategic meeting alongside other influential stakeholders within the political structure.

 

Lawal reportedly congratulated Adekanmbi and the senatorial candidates while expressing optimism that the political family would remain united ahead of the next general elections.

 

Political observers in the state believe the consensus arrangement may reshape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 governorship contest, especially with increasing alignments and consultations among major political actors across the state.

 

Adekanmbi’s emergence is already generating conversations within political circles, with supporters describing it as an attempt to maintain continuity, stability, and the governance philosophy championed by Governor Makinde over the years.

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CityBoy Movement Denounces ‘False Blasphemy Claim’ Against Seyi Tinubu

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Why Seyi Tinubu is not your usual silver spoon

CityBoy Movement Denounces ‘False Blasphemy Claim’ Against Seyi Tinubu

 

 

The CityBoy Movement has dismissed as false and malicious a viral social media post alleging that its patron, Barr. Seyi Tinubu, made blasphemous remarks concerning God and the 2027 presidential election.

 

In a statement issued on Monday by the group’s Deputy Director-General for Communication and Public Affairs, O’tega Ogra, the movement described the publication as “deliberately inflammatory” and aimed at creating religious tension in the country.

 

The group said the statement, allegedly authored by one “Albaabu Abudulahi,” falsely attributed comments to Tinubu which he never made “at any time, in any place, through any channel, or under any circumstance whatsoever.”

 

According to the statement, the allegation was “entirely false, malicious in intent, reckless in circulation and dangerous in consequence.”

 

The movement maintained that Seyi Tinubu is a man of faith who believes that all authority comes from God alone and would never insult or diminish the supremacy of God or Allah.

“He has never insulted, mocked, questioned or diminished the supremacy of Almighty God or Allah, and will never do so,” the statement read.

The group further accused unnamed individuals of attempting to damage Tinubu’s image and provoke unnecessary religious controversy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

While reaffirming Tinubu’s support for the re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, the CityBoy Movement stressed that all political ambitions and public service efforts remain subject to “the will and guidance of Almighty God.”

The organisation urged Nigerians to disregard the circulating claims, describing them as a calculated attempt to mislead the public and sow division along religious lines.

It also called on media organisations, digital publishers and social media users to verify information before sharing materials capable of threatening national unity and peaceful coexistence.

The statement reiterated the movement’s commitment to democratic engagement, responsible public conduct and respect for all faiths.

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