It is no longer news that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo & Asiwaju Bola Tinubu met in Abuja last Friday to discuss issues of mutual benefit. Worried at the spate of negative reports in the media that all is not well between the duo, Prof. Osinbajo had sought for a meeting with his political godfather to dispel all sorts of rumours that he was set to battle Tinubu for the APC presidential ticket for the 2023 presidential race.
The news had been in the air for the past 2 weeks that the duo were to meet, but the details of the date and venue remained sketchy, until last Friday when Asiwaju accepted to go to Abuja to meet with Osinbajo, out of courtesy.
When the Asiwaju Group, first received the request for Tinubu to meet with the VP, their initial response was that of Shock and Surprise, revealed an insider. “Asiwaju wondered what the meeting was all about since he had not told anyone he was running for the Presidency.”
But so that it won’t look as if he does not respect constituted authority, he decided to fly to Abuja to meet with the No 2 man, who happens to be one of his Boys.
At the meeting, Osinbajo was reported to have thanked Asiwaju immensely for making himself available for the meeting.
Whilst he pledged his continued loyalty to Tinubu, he seized the opportunity of the meeting to douse any rumour that he had issues to resolve with him. He was said to have mentioned that despite the fact that he had been under pressure from well meaning Nigerians to join the race for the Presidency, he had not made up his mind, whether to accept the offer or not. He was said to have quickly added that there was no way he would take such a critical decision about such a major issue without discussing it with him and his spiritual father, Pastor E. A. Adeboye.
He explained that all the negative reports that are in the media were the handiwork of mischief makers.
Asiwaju on his part, thanked the V.P. for his show of respect and camadarie and explained that like he has revealed over and over again, he has also not made up his mind whether he would run or not, despite the fact that he is also under intense pressure to run for presidency.
He also pointed out that whether he decides to run or not, his decision should not stop other interested aspirants from coming out.
Tinubu made it point blank at the meeting that he is not stopping anybody who is interested in coming out, to run. That same afternoon, the Speaker of the House of Reps, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, former EFCC boss and former Presidential Candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Eruwa visited Tinubu at the Lagos House in Abuja.
City People gathered that the concern of the APC Leadership is how to save Osinbajo from clashing with Tinubu over the APC Presidential ticket.
With the rising clamour for a Southern President in 2023, before now, there had been reports that Tinubu and Osinbajo might be individually interested in the presidency seat, though both men have yet to declare any intention to contest the exalted office in 2023.
While the Vice President’s boys have gone to town with The Osinbajo Grassroots Organization (OGO), Asiwaju’s camp had launched The South West Agenda (SWAGA) across all the states in the South.
There were also purported insinuation that Osinbajo and Asiwaju are not on talking terms, but Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser on Political Matters to the President, had to debunk the matter, stating that the rumour is a deliberate attempt to trigger grouse and enmity between the two political gladiators.
Before now, it was revealed that VP Osinbajo had visited Asiwaju in London but could not see him due to reason best known to both parties. It was said that the inability of VP Osinbajo to see Asiwaju further intensify the apprehension of rumoured rift between both of them.
VP Osinbajo had also made attempts to meet Asiwaju immediately after his return, but he was reportedly turned down.
Although, Asiwaju, according to sources close to Bourdillion had stated that whosoever wishes to aspire for 2023 presidency within his camp should feel free to do so. The silence of VP Osinbajo over his ambition while several groups keep running his campaign has been tagged as worrisome to the core loyalists of Asiwaju.
A member of the Osinbajo For President Group, Salihu Nataro, has said that the North is making a substantive effort to position Nigeria’s Vice President.
Nataro believes that a president like Osinbajo would propel Nigeria towards the desired results needed in its economic, security and healthcare system.
He also insisted that Osinbajo should be supported with the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket for the 2023 general election. Nataro said progressive northern leaders are in tune with the plan.
At the meeting, all aides were asked to excuse the 2-men, while the photographers waited behind to take photos which were immediately released by VP Osinbajo’s aides.
Babafemi Ojudu, posted the photos with the tag, “Brothers Forever”.
No sooner had the photos filtered into social media, the room was left with only Asiwaju and Osinbajo.
The meeting was held and made public to calm the nerve of anxious spectators and party faithful, that beyond varying interest, the family remain as strong as ever.
For the handlers of Osinbajo preliminary campaign, the Vice President has many things going for him. They say the Professor of Law, foremost intellectual and outstanding public administrator, the one who, as State Attorney General achieved feats no one else has been able to repeat, the Vice President who increased the stock and size of the office with his loyal, competent, and unblemished service, carries no ‘baggage’ at all. They say he is also a round peg in a round hole at this time when the power is rotating to the south along the religious line. He is a Christian and a Pastor for that matter. Words from Abuja have it that he has been anointed by the Northern power bloc. But will he run? Will he accept the invitation?
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the other hand is a phenomenon. Aside from the fact that he single-handily raised, trained and lifted all the political gladiators from the southwest today, he is also a strong influence in the affairs of the executive, and legislative arms of the federal republic.
It is also certain that Asiwaju has no enemy to fight and holds no grudge. His rare accommodative gesture for prodigal sons cannot be equated to other leaders who have been betrayed by their protégés.
Whichever side the table may eventually turn, Asiwaju remains the leader of the southern movement.
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