2023 Presidency: How Osinbajo Regards Tinubu – Buhari’s Adviser

President Muhammadu Buhari’s Political Adviser, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, says Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, are in the same political family, and that there is no rift between them.

Ezenwoko’s Blog reports that in a statement on Monday, Ojodu disclosed that “Osinbajo regards Tinubu as a respected leader of a political family to which he belongs and will therefore, not for any reason endorse an endeavor that seeks to pitch them against each other.”

He decried reports and a live television programme where “two persons supposedly representing Asiwaju Support Group and Osinbajo Support Group were pitched against each other”.

Ojodu maintained that “neither the Vice President nor his office is aware of this or endorse this kind of a divisive engagement and news reports.”

The statement titled: ‘2023 presidential election: No to divisive politics; attempts to foist a crack between Osinbajo and Tinubu will fail’ also clarified that the Vice President will not make any move for 2023 until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) blows the whistle.

He said: “The INEC has not given a go ahead yet for politicking towards 2023. As a law abiding citizen, Osinbajo will not commence any act in this regard until INEC blows the whistle, and in any case the VP has not indicated interest in the 2023 elections.”

The presidential aide continued, ”We are not unaware of some people who may want to foist a crack among our leaders. Such an attempt is abortive. Osinbajo and Tinubu’s relationship dates way back and it shall continue to wax strong.

“Let me therefore call on individuals and media houses engaged in this act to desist from doing so. The APC remains one single, indivisible party and Osinbajo remains a loyal member of the party who respects both the party structure as well as its leadership…

“While appreciating individuals who are clamoring for him to contest, we however want to plead that they should not draw him or allow themselves into an unnecessary and precipitous controversy.

“We welcome our great leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu back into the country. As a great democrat himself, he will certainly welcome politics without bitterness and divisiveness. We wish him good health, long life and prosperity.”