Mixed Reactions Trail Osinbajo’s Declaration For President

Vice President’s ambition not a threat to Tinubu, says APC chieftain

Olajide, Igbokwe, Erubami, others speak on VP intention to succeed Buhari

Nigerians, especially Yoruba leaders, human rights activists and chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have reacted to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s declaration to run in the 2023 presidential race.

It would be recalled that Osinbajo in a six-minute long video posted on his social media pages on Monday, announced his intention to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari come May 29, 2023.

“I am announcing that I will be running for Presidency under the All Progressives Congress (APC). I seek the support of every Nigerian to work together by the grace of God to achieve a greater Nigeria,” Osinbajo said.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Tinubu To Meet APC Governors Over Presidential Ambition

The Vice President is expected to slug it out with APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Governors David Umahi (Ebonyi) and Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and others, who have already declared their intentions to be APC presidential candidate for the February 25, 2023 poll.

Speaking during exclusive interviews with AN24 on Monday, an APC chieftain (name withheld); Secretary-General of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr. Kunle Olajide and a human rights activist, Comrade Mashood Erubami, expressed different views on Osinbajo’s presidential declaration.

Reacting to the news on social media, some Nigerians on Twitter and Facebook also divided over the intention of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to throw his hat into the ring for the 2023 presidential election, especially against his former boss and APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

An APC chieftain, who spoke anonymously, told AN24 that it is a pathetic coincidence that Osinbajo’s declaration came during the Holy Week, preceding Good Friday and the Easter celebration, which according to the Christian calendar marks the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ after he was betrayed by one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot.

“It is a pathetic coincidence that the declaration came the same week that Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord Jesus Christ. History just repeated itself several centuries after. We read that back then some shekels of money changed hands to do the damage; we wonder what the price of the betrayal is this time. We know the Vice President is a pawn on the chessboard of some powerful force. We are all students of history; we will wait patiently to see how this plays out.

“There is no problem. We knew he was going to declare. They should allow us to go to the primary. Let him come and face Asiwaju (Tinubu). There is no problem. I am not worried at all. The only demand is for us to go to primary. Let us see how much support Osinbajo can garner from the party members. This is somebody who could not even win his polling booth. Let them bring him up. We are ready for him.

“Asiwaju has a lot of support across the country. There are a lot of people who will come out to support him all over the country; even more in the North than South. So, we will be ready. It is the Northerners that are using Osinbajo, no problem,” the APC chieftain disclosed.

Also reacting, YCE scribe, Dr. Kunle Olajide, said Osinbajo’s declaration for the presidency is in the best interest of Yoruba and Nigeria in general.

“He has the right to declare for the presidency if he believes he has something to offer Nigeria. I don’t think there is any crime in that. I believe Tinubu, Osinbajo and others declaring for the presidency are in the best interest of this country. In fact, I am very happy as a Yoruba man that we have many competent Yoruba sons and daughters who can aspire to be President of this country. I don’t think there is any crime in that.

“I think it is good news and good development for Nigeria and the Yoruba nation. I think Yoruba should be proud that they have competent people who believed that they have something to offer Nigeria to take us from where we are to where we ought to be. There is nothing wrong with Tinubu and Osinbajo aspiring to be president. They must not be discouraged,” he said.

Erubami, a chieftain of APC and human rights activist said: “He (Osinbajo) has the constitutional rights to declare for the presidency. Those who are supporting him have the constitutional right to be with him. As a chieftain of APC, I believed that the person who will win the presidential election will win in the primaries. So, he (Osinbajo) has thrown his hat into the ring and he will be meeting some other notable Nigerians that are also interested. When they meet in the ring, the fight within the ring and the outcome of the fight will determine who becomes president.

“All the APC presidential aspirants have chances. Tinubu has chances. Osinbajo also has his own chance; if not he would not have declared. He believed in himself and he believed that from what he has done so far, he should be able to stand with the iconic Tinubu in power. So, let us wait and see. It is the fight within the ring and the outcome of the fight will show where we are going. We are watching. The outcome of the fight will show where we are going.”

Reacting to the news of Osinbajo’s declaration on his Facebook, Engr. Joe Igbokwe, the Special Adviser on Drainage and Water Resources to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, advised Osinbajo not to contest against Tinubu as a sign of respect to the APC National Leader.

“Let me drop it here for history and posterity: If you are one of the people Asiwaju raised up and you are eyeing the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria show respect and withdraw from the race,” he said.

Another Facebook user, Wale Elegbede wrote “Betrayal week!!! The same week Judas betrayed the world’s Saviour for coins. So, who is Senator Bola Tinubu that won’t be backstabbed for a whole docile, gullible Nation? Moreover, this is politics. It is a modern game of chess. The kings and queens can also be used as pawns.”

Reacting to Vice President Osinbajo’s presidential declaration, Rinu Oduala through her Twitter handle @SavvyRinu tweeted “How exactly has our country benefited with you in power for the past seven years, sir? Security? Education? Police reforms? Food prices? Power generation?”

A Twitter user @Felix4Area tweeted “Professor Yemi Osinbajo, you’re the vice president of the worst democratic government in Nigeria. You and your principal are ECONOMIC THANOSES!

“You failed in every aspects. Sensible Nigerians will not support or vote for you.”

Also reacting, @aanuadeoye tweeted “A challenge for vice president Yemi Osinbajo in a general election campaign would be how to promise change/improvement on a government he’s served as number two for 8 years.”