Race For Running Mate: Bola Tinubu Set To Meet APC Governors, Adamu Abdullahi

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahned Tinubu has began moves to get his running mates ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Recall that Tinubu garnered 1,271 votes to clinch the party’s presidential ticket, defeating a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who got 316 votes; the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, 235 votes; a former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, one vote; Senator Rochas Okorocha and Pastor Tunde Bakare got zero vote each.

It was gathered that Tinubu will meet APC governors soon over issues relating to his running mate and the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, before the end of the week.

Naija News reports that political parties must submit their candidates and running mates before the Independent National Electoral Commission’s June 17 deadline.

Confirming the meeting, the spokesman for the Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, said the APC presidential candidate would meet the governors whom he said would pick the former Lagos State governor’s running mate.

He told The PUNCH that Tinubu already had an arrangement with the APC governors to pick his running mate if he emerges the presidential candidate.

Onanuga said, “The Vice-President can come from any region and religion. But the PGF is at liberty to pick. Up till now, we are all aware that Atiku has not chosen a VP. Yet, he was elected before him. But in our own case, it is a party affair.

“The party leaders will look at the chances and decide how they will balance a Muslim from the South, maybe with somebody that comes from North- East, North-Central or from North-West. That is how it is done. I cannot circumvent the party. The Governor Atiku Bagudu-led PGF has the task to pick a competent deputy for him.”

He however stated that a date for the meeting has not been chosen, but it will take place soon.

“Already, he has a cordial relationship with virtually all of them. You will also have to understand that he has just picked the presidential ticket. I am also sure that this issue of picking the right candidate for VP will be in the minds of the party leadership and the APC governors too.

“At this moment, we just want to pause and take a rest from the stress of the just-concluded campaign,” Tinubu’s spokesman said.