Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, hosted members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, late Sunday, at his official residence inside Presidential Villa, Abuja, as he finally put an end to the months-long speculations surrounding his 2023 presidential ambition.
It was gathered that during the meeting, Osinbajo told the Governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of his plan to throw his hat into the ring and join several others to contest for the number one seat in the country.
All of the APC governors, except Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, who is out of the country and his Ekiti counterpart, Kayode Fayemi, who was said to have experienced flight difficulties were present.
Osinbajo, whose surrogates have been mobilising supporters across Nigeria in recent months, used the occasion to consult with the governors before he formally declares his intention to contest today, Monday.
It was reported that Osinbajo met with the governors to mobilise support before he officially declares to contest against his erstwhile boss, a national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as a host of strong contenders in the party.
The source also hinted that about 12 APC governors are working behind the scene for the emergence of Osinbajo as the party’s flag bearer, noting that several stakeholders in the party believe in the leadership capacity of the Vice President.
“Osinbajo felt the need to inform the governors ahead of a planned public declaration on Monday of his decision to contest the presidency in 2023 under the APC platform.
“He is also discussing his plans with the governors and continuing the consultations with more governors and other critical stakeholders in the National Assembly and others. Being the Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC) for the last seven years, he had an excellent relationship with governors across party lines, ethnicities and religions.
“Many of the governors are also members or directors of some federal agencies where the VP is chairman and their relationships in these agencies have also deepened the bonds, producing a robust relationship.
“Practically, all the governors are very well disposed to him and vice versa, over the years as the VP has actually become a champion of states, even as the Buhari administration has come to the aid of governors with different financial bailouts and refund of Paris Debt,” the source was quoted to have said.
In a related development, the Osinbajo camp has already opened a campaign office at 15B Buchanan Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, where the mobilisation for the vice president will be spearheaded.
The upcoming 2023 Presidential election, according to political analysts, would go down the history lane of Nigeria as one of the most hotly contested.
The New Diplomat reports that Tinubu, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state; former Kano state governor, Rabiu Kwakwanso, former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi; former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; as well as several others have already indicated interest to jostle for the number seat in the country on the platform of their various parties.
