Bisi Akande Reveals Buhari Never Pushed Osinbajo to Challenge Tinubu

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• APC Primary Election
• Osinbajo and Tinubu's Relationship
• Akande's Comments
• Buhari's Position
• Contradictory Claims

A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande, has revealed that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari informed him that he did not encourage ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to run against the current President Bola Tinubu in 2022.

During the APC primary election in 2022, Tinubu was chosen as the party’s candidate while Osinbajo finished a distant third.

Osinbajo is generally regarded as a political protégé of Tinubu, having served under him as Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General while Tinubu was the governor of Lagos State.

There are rumors suggesting that Tinubu played a significant role in Osinbajo’s ascension to the position of Vice President under Buhari.

However, Akande, while appearing on Edmund Obilo’s podcast, State Affairs, stated that Osinbajo did not withdraw in favor of Tinubu because he had the right to participate in the primary election.

Akande remarked: “I wanted everyone to have the freedom to contest the election, but I didn’t want any bitterness. I hoped they would discuss issues rather than undermine one another because I wanted one of them to ultimately become a Yoruba President.”

Regarding persuading Osinbajo to withdraw for Tinubu, he said, “After several meetings, I expressed that we wanted only one candidate, and I hoped any of you would voluntarily step down.”

“On the evening of the primary, some individuals approached me expressing their intention to withdraw, and they did so; it wasn't too late.”

“Osinbajo did not withdraw, and I did not discuss it with Tinubu afterward. Osinbajo had every right to contest, and I do not blame anyone for running in elections.”

When asked if Buhari was opposed to Tinubu, Akande stated: “He (Buhari) did not convey that to me, as I posed many questions to him. He wanted me to understand that he was not the one who prompted Osinbajo to run against Tinubu, and he made it clear that, in his culture, when your mentor is vying for a position, you do not contest against him. However, when Osinbajo entered the race, he was surprised and only wished him well.”

Akande’s assertion contradicts claims in Buhari’s biography, ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammad Buhari’, written by Dr. Charles Omole, which states that the late former president did not support Osinbajo’s presidential aspirations.

The book quotes Buhari as stating that he did not back Osinbajo’s ambition in 2022 because he did not know him well.

Buhari reportedly mentioned that he became acquainted with the ex-Vice President through Tinubu.

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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