Opinions
2023 Presidency: Tinubu’s Declaration Unsettles Osinbajo’s Camp
The declaration by Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the 2023 presidential election has halted all momentum in Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s camp, DAILY POST gathered.
Tinubu, the national leader of the APC and godfather of the Vice President, on Monday, declared his intention to run after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a press briefing after the meeting, Tinubu said the ambition to be the president of Nigeria has been a lifelong ambition.
Sources in Osinbajo’s camp told DAILY POST that the move by Tinubu has temporarily halted the underground mobilization that is ongoing.
“Once baba had indicated interest, there is no need to contemplate running for the office,” the source told DAILY POST.
Before the announcement by Tinubu, Osinbajo was in a strong momentum. In December, former military president, Ibrahim Babangida had given some sort of endorsement. “I want you to tell him to stay on cause,” IBB had said.
It would be recalled that the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Dr Umar Farouk Umar, also had glowing remarks about the Vice President during the turbaning of Yusuf Buhari in Daura.
That was not the first time the Emir of Daura would be paying glowing remarks on Osinbajo. In 2018, the monarch said, “I can assure you that our son has enormous trust in you, I want you to continue to justify that confidence he reposed in you.”
Equally, despite the romance between Tinubu and Governor Umar Guanduje of Kano State, Kawu Hafiz, a member of the House of Representatives from Kano State also openly endorsed the aspiration of Osinbajo.
The Osibanjo Grassroot Organization had been moving around the country to solicit support for the former Attorney General of Lagos State.
In one fell swoop, this momentum is under threat because of the relationship with Tinubu.
Long years of loyalty to Tinubu
In 1999, Tinubu appointed Osinbajo as his Attorney General, a cabinet position that Osinbajo served in for 8years. After the administration, Osinbajo remained part of that set of politicians like Rauf Aregbasola, Babatunde Fashola, Muiz Banire, Lai Mohammed and others.
From being commissioners, all these politicians have all been elevated to different positions and remained loyal to Tinubu. Aregbesola who was Commissioner for Works became governor of Osun State and now the Minister of Interior. Babatunde Fashola who was Chief of Staff later became Governor of Lagos State and now Minister of Works and Housing. Lai Mohammed also served as Chief of Staff and currently is the Minister of Information and Culture.
After a failed bid to join Buhari’s ticket as running mate as stated in the book by Bisi Akande, ‘My Participation’, Tinubu nominated Osinbajo as running mate to Buhari.
In 2016, speaking on who nominated him, Osinbajo had said, “An APC national leader whom I had served when he was governor was interested in putting me forward as the running mate of President Muhammadu Buhari in consensus with other national leaders of the party.”
6 years of Loyalty to Buhari
In 2019, during the 59th Independence Day, in the “This is Nigeria” magazine, Osinbajo had in a message titled “Uncompromised Loyalty” pledged his loyalty to Buhari
“He is the best boss and I find it thrilling to serve Nigeria under him. It is only responsible of me to give my unwavering loyalty to President Buhari,” the VP wrote.
The level of loyalty that exists between the two was further amplified by Buhari after his death rumour
“Poor Professor Yemi Osinbajo, even he had to deal with the rumours. Some people reached out to him to consider them to be his vice-president because they assumed I was dead. That embarrassed him a lot; we discussed it when he visited me while I was convalescing,” he said.
In 2018, when the President was in London for medical attention, the men of the Department of State Services (DSS) laid siege at the entrance of the National Assembly. Following the uproar, Osinbajo as the Acting President fired the once-powerful Lawal Daura.
Hence, when the President declared that he has a preferred candidate, but he will not mention the person, many believed it could be Osinbajo. In the aftermath of the declaration, Mr Tinubu notified Buhari of his intention to run despite claiming that he is still consulting.
On Tuesday, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi also went to Buhari to inform him that he is running.
Chief Segun Okunloye, a Chieftain of the APC, told DAILY POST that the campaign is all about timing and momentum. “The President’s declaration of having a favourite has sped up the process.
“The race to succeed Buhari is going to be about decisiveness because the APC is the biggest party currently, you can see the difficulty in even picking a date for the convention. So, politicians will have to be fast, else, you are out.”
Proxies battling it out……
During the declaration, Mr Tinubu declined to talk about individuals, rather focused on selling himself; while Osinbajo is yet to make any comment on the issue, however, proxies have been talking.
On Tuesday, the Director-General of Bola Tinubu Support Group Council and former member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmummin Jubrin was on Arise TV. During the interview, he said even though both Osinbajo and Tinubu are qualified, only Tinubu can clinch the ticket and also win the general election.
According to him, Osinbajo’s aspiration is coming at the wrong time.
DAILY POST also monitored the appearance of Oluwagbemi Michael, the Trustee Osinbajo Grassroots Organisation on Leadership TV. In the course of the interview, Micheal denied the existence of Tinubu’s political family
“I am not seeing registration of any organization called Asiwaju political dynasty. Asiwaju Tinubu himself is a product of long years of mentorship. He was a Senator standing many feet behind the then Presidential candidate, MKO Abiola, he then rose to become the governor Lagos State, one state out of 37. Every man is destined to take his own path. The path the Vice President had been destined to go through Asiwaju. As I mentioned, someone who is married to the granddaughter of the scion of the Yoruba dynasty, Obafemi Awolowo, already has a proud political heritage.
“Is he a member of the Bola Onagoruwa family, is he a member of the Awolowo family– it is still very impossible to match the Awolowo political legacy in Yoruba land or Nigeria today. Or maybe you want to call him a member of Tinubu’s family,” he stated.
While this is ongoing, Nigerians are waiting to hear from both politicians.
Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari has assured Nigerians that the Port Harcourt refinery will begin to deliver refined petroleum products in two weeks.
Addressing Journalists after meeting with the Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, APC, Anambra-South led Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Turnaround Maintenance of the country’s four refineries on Thursday, March 14, Kyari also disclosed that the Warri refinery is almost ready too. He added that the refinery in Kaduna would be completed and ready to go into production in December this year.
He said;
“The Completion mechanical means that you are done with your rehabilitation work, now you are to test if this completion is okay. As for Warri refinery, we have also completed the mechanical works on it and it is undergoing the regulatory compliance processes that we are doing with our regulator.
“This also will be completed and it will be ready. “Kaduna will be ready by December, We have not reached that stage (of Port Harcourt and Warri) with Kaduna.”
Kyari also said there are no challenges with the pipelines to deliver crude to the refineries as the existing lines are fully pressurised to deliver crude.
He said;
“All crude lines are active and have actually delivered over 450,000 barrels into Port Harcourt refinery. We are confident of the integrity of it. Yes, there may be security issues, but also the government is responding to the situation.”
I was at a colleague’s office in Finsbury’s Park, North London this week to train the staff on matters relating to anti money laundering’s ever evolving laws when the subject of Lagos and Nigeria came up.
I listened to every argument and happily enough, many of the contributors agreed that Lagos indeed is a city to watch and had nothing but praises for the masterminds of the current development of the modern city and with President Tinubu at the helms of affairs in Abuja, we can also expect some great transformation towards the country too.
Reno Omokri had these to say recently regarding the transformation of our country which has begun with Lagos about 25 years back: Isha Sessay is an American citizen who visits Nigeria often, and she praises our country to the high heavens because Nigeria’s healthcare saved her mother’s life. Time Out Magazine listed Lagos as better than Miami, Naples and Melbourne. (Some of) You have not been to these places, yet you are castigating Time Out as if you are better travelled than the 20,000 seasoned travellers they asked.
Are you aware that Lagos is now one of the world’s latest destinations for medical tourism? Please fact-check me. People from the United Kingdom and Europe, who have to contend with long waiting periods to see public healthcare professionals, are trooping to Lagos for inexpensive, IMMEDIATE treatment.
Let me add that our Stock Market is now the world’s most profitable bar none, and according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Nigeria is set to deliver a double-digit return on investment throughout 2024.
Governor Babajide Sanwoolu has just rolled out plans for an airline belonging to Lagos State to add to the incoming Lekki airport, the fourth mainland motorway, the rail systems covering not just the city but the whole state and beyond.
About 23 banks in the country are headquartered in Lagos and this tells you everything about those who watch over the city, those who labour day and night to make sure the city is free and secure to live and work. Those who selflessly plan for the progress of the city and her residents.
It is on this note I feel indignant listening to the provocative ranting of Senator Ali Ndume on the issue of moving some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to Lagos for easy administration.
How could Ndume come on national television to threaten fire and brimstone against the President so brazenly and with such impunity on a matter of mere administrative rather than political significance?
Who does he think he is to single out and address people from Lagos that work with the President in such a condescending manner? Look at the haughty manner in which he carried himself on national television insulting and attacking people he believes are less Nigerian than he and members of the self – conceited interest group he represents.
One of the first actions taken by OBJ after he assumed office in 1999 was to reverse the daft decision that moved the Hq of NPA from Marina to Abuja, which was taken by the Abacha administration. That was how SHIP HOUSE, Abuja was taken over by Ministry of Defence and the NPA Hq moved back to Lagos. Nigeria Railway Corporation also had its headquarters moved back to Railway Compound, Ebute Metta from Abuja by OBJ. When those decisions were taken the North cried foul but the world did not come to an end as OBJ stuck to his guns. I hope President Tinubu would stand his grounds on the decision that the Banking Supervision Department of the CBN and headquarters of FAAN be moved to Lagos. This is a test of wills and he must not back down.
We are copying the Presidential system of government from the US which literally allows the other components of the system to function along the central body or axis. In the US and the UK, strategic considerations determine where the headquarters of government agencies are located. When the need is compelling for some to be located outside the capital the headquarters is sited away from Washington or London. Abuja remains the capital but Lagos is strategically placed with all the amazing amenities being built by the government of the state to offer more opportunities to the nation.
Whichever way, Lagos continues to thrive and attract the best talents from all over the world and it will so greatly remain no matter the threat from her haters.
Unfortunately, no one can drag the lagoon or ocean from their God’s given abodes no matter how they try through their wicked devises and desires.
Lagos remains unshakable and will host many more departments thrown at it through the wisdom of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Dr George Ogunjimi, the Bamofin of Ojo kingdom, Lagos writes from Goffs Oak. Hertfordshire, UK.
– praises President Tinubu for achievements in 100 days
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have celebrated with the First Lady of the Federal Republic, Senator Oluremi Tinubu on her 63rd birthday.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who directed the Clerk of the House to transmit a letter congratulating the First Lady on behalf of the Assembly, described Oluremi as a wonderful woman whose doors are always open to Nigerians in need.
“As a former First Lady of Lagos State, she continued and upgraded the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials, COWLSO, which is today appreciated far and wide.
“Her New Era Foundation lifted thousands of people, including widows, promoted and encouraged educational empowerment through the Spelling Bee competition that have produced many ‘One-Day Governors’ in the State.
“As Senator, she stood for Lagos in many capacities making the State proud of her.
“As the First Lady of Nigeria, she has continued with her strides for the well-being of others with unquantifiable compassion and zeal to help the less privileged, the challenged and those in need. She is doing this successfully through her Renewed Hope Initiative,” Dr. Obasa said adding that her philanthropic gestures have helped to build hope and motivated people.
He prayed for long life and health for the First Lady and her family.
Earlier, Hon. Omolara Olumegbon, who raised this on the floor of the House, appreciated Senator Oluremi for her achievements while she was First Lady of Lagos and in her capacity as the Grand Patron of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO).
Hon. Olumegbon also recalled how the First Lady touched lives while she served as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
She described the First Lady as a mother, philanthropist, politician and patriotic Nigerian.
While Hon. Joseph Kehinde extolled her as a woman who loves widows and children, Hon. Olotu Emmanuel commended her for always helping people.
Hon. Mosunmola Sangodara described Senator Oluremi Tinubu as a woman of strength who is also God-fearing.
According to her, the First Lady is “a humble person who respects people irrespective of their ages. She is a woman to emulate for the support she has always given President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Meanwhile, the House also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his achievements in the last 100 days in office while urging for equitable distribution of palliatives in the form of social amenities across the country.
The lawmakers expressed satisfaction with the President’s effort to ensure the economy is stabilised despite the removal of subsidy.
“When people are appreciated, they tend to do more and in the case of Mr. President, there have been changes in all sectors of the country.
“The country is witnessing the achievements of President Tinubu. We also need to ensure that people who are in need of the palliative enjoy it the most in terms of more input in transportation, health, agriculture, and education,” Speaker Obasa said.
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