How Obasanjo Stopped Tinubu From Becoming Buhari’s Vice President -Oyinlola

Posted by Nwa Diokpa African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Saturday, January 30th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Former Governor of Osun state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, says former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, prevented former Lagos state governor and national chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu from being the running mate of President Buhari in 2015.

Oyinlola disclosed this during an interview with The Punch saying that the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket was not disclosed to party leaders until Buhari’s emergence as the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress in 2014.

According to Oyinlola, Obasanjo condemned a Buhari/ Tinubu ticket even though President Buhari had defended it due to governing with Tunde Idiagbon as Military head of state. However, Obasanjo warned that the sensibilities of Nigerians should not be overlooked.

Oyinlola said: “The agreement was concealed from a good number of the party leaders until it surfaced after Buhari had got the ticket.

“Then the rumour came out and some us felt danger was looming with the idea of Muslim-Muslim ticket. To further add to our fears, General Buhari on one occasion said there was nothing wrong in the Muslim-Muslim presidential arrangement, saying after all he governed with Tunde Idiagbon.

“That statement made us to know it (the Muslim-Muslim idea) was a fact. On two occasions, Bola (Tinubu) mentioned it in my presence that they agreed. If you recall one trending video back then, where it was said that Buhari had jettisoned what they agreed on, that is the room he was sleeping when Buhari was looking for the post.

“We then told Baba (Obasanjo). We told him that taking power from an incumbent government was a tough task and we must not give room for excuses and miss the target. We told him they (Buhari and Tinubu) were thinking of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“That was when Baba (Obasanjo) said people should not take the sensibilities of Nigerians for granted.

“After that (Obasanjo’s intervention), they started saying it in my presence that Obasanjo frustrated the plan to get Tinubu on the ticket for 2015 but I always acted as if I didn’t hear them. We then had a stakeholders meeting where the issue of the running mate was discussed again.”