Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress and a presidential candidate, has stated that he does not have a son who is mature enough to run for the party’s presidential ticket.
This comes as he announced that he is seeking the APC’s collaboration, support, and encouragement in his bid to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari (retd. ), whose term expires next year.
Tinubu made the statement following a meeting with members of the Progressive Governors Forum at the Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.
The gathering comes less than 24 hours after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo hosted the governors at State House in Aguda on Sunday evening, when he announced his candidacy for the APC presidential ticket.
Despite the fact that Tinubu has yet to officially declare for office, he told President Obama of his plan to succeed him in January.
Tinubu, who said he was consulting widely to assure his emergence as APC flag bearer ahead of next year’s presidential elections, fielded questions from journalists shortly after the meeting and emphasized that he has no son who is mature enough to challenge him for the ticket.
“I don’t have any kid mature up enough to make such announcement,” he stated when asked about Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s presidential pronouncement, which came just hours before the Kebbi House gathering.
“My objective here is to seek collaboration, support, and encouragement from my party, the APC, in support of my ambition to become President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a replacement for President Muhammadu Buhari after his tenure,” he continued.
Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, remarked that Osinbajo and Tinubu’s meetings do not place the governors in a straight line.
He also stated that there is nothing wrong if the presidential candidate is chosen by consensus, as the party did when picking its Chairman at the national convention on March 26.
“No, no, no,” Bagudu said when asked if Osinbajo and Tinubu’s rivalry put the governors in an awkward spot. On the contrary, we admire our party because it has won the hearts and minds of Nigerians.
“The fact that members of our party have expressed a desire to lead the party to the highest office in an election indicates how much our party has resonated with Nigerians and party members.”
“People showing interest is a sign of success for us, but at the end of the day, and because they are party leaders, they will always put the party’s interests first.”
