A group canvassing support for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s presidential ambition has taken swipe at the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.
On Sunday, the Osinbajo support group declared that Tinubu should embrace the fact that Nigeria was not for sale.
The group dissociated itself from any agreement from any secret quarters that might favour Tinubu for the plum job in 2023.
Karu Simon Elisha, who spoke on behalf of the group, said, “On the issue of negotiation, it could be a previous practice but presently Nigeria is not for sale.
“We say no to any agreement prior to this generation. This generation must decide who lead them and not those who decide their future behind them.
“We, therefore, called on Prof Osinbajo to yield our call to vie for the president. We know his competence and capability and we are waiting for him to decide.”
A few days ago, an unnamed aide to Osinbajo said his boss would not abandon his interest to contest the 2023 presidential election because of the declaration by Tinubu.
Tinubu had last Monday announced that he had informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his interest to vie for the country’s presidency.
The development had elicited several reactions, with many claiming such a move would mark the end of Osinbajo’s interest in the same office.
Elisha said that unlike Tinubu, who went to Buhari to inform him of his intention to contest for the presidency in 2023, Osinbajo was waiting for directives from the President Buhari before speaking on the issue.
He said, “The Vice President is very much interested in contesting. From what we have seen, many Nigerians, including key figures in the political and corporate world, believe that he is the best to succeed President Buhari.
“I know the impression many people have is that because his benefactor, Tinubu has declared interest to run, the vice president will perish his ambition. But that is not true. The vice president will contest but he will not jump the gun.
“Right now, he is waiting for directives from President Muhammadu Buhari. If indeed the president wants him as his successor and gives him his blessings to contest so as to continue with the programmes of the administration, he will not turn down the request.”
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