Politics
Akande Exposes What Buhari Told Him About Osinbajo About Contesting Against Tinubu
A founding member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bisi Akande, has disclosed that late former President Muhammadu Buhari informed him that he never instigated ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to contest against now President Bola Tinubu in 2022.
During the APC primary election in 2022, Tinubu emerged as the party’s flagbearer while Osinbajo came a distant third.
Osinbajo is widely believed to be a political protege of Tinubu after he served under him as Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General while the now President was governor of Lagos State.
There are speculations that Tinubu was instrumental in Osinbajo’s emergence as Vice President to Buhari.
However, Akande while featuring on Edmund Obilo’s podcast, State Affairs, said Osinbajo never stepped down for Tinubu because it was his right to contest in the primary election.
Akande said: “I wanted everybody to be free to contest the election but I don’t want bitterness, I wanted them to talk on issues and not one to destroy another because I wanted one of them to emerge in the end, I wanted a Yoruba President.”
On convincing Osinbajo to step down for Tinubu, he said, “After several meetings, I told them we want only one and I want any of you to voluntarily step down.
“On the evening of the primary, some came to me that they were going to step down and they stepped down, it wasn’t too late.
“Osinbajo did not step down and I didn’t discuss it with Tinubu thereafter. Osinbajo has every right to contest and he did and I don’t blame anybody for contesting elections.”
On if Buhari was against Tinubu, Akande said: “He (Buhari) didn’t tell me so because I put many questions to him, he wanted me to see that he was not the one who instigated Osinbajo to contest against Tinubu and he made it clear that in his own culture when your mentor is interested in one position, you don’t contest with him but when Osinbajo came he was surprised and only wished him well.”
Akande’s claim is contrary to claims in Buhari’s biography, ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammad Buhari’, authored by Dr Charles Omole, that the late former president didn’t support Osinbajo’s presidential ambition.
The book quoted Buhari as saying he never supported Osinbajo’s ambition in 2022 because he never knew him.
Buhari was said to have stated that he knew the ex-Vice President through Tinubu.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday ruled against Mr. Timehin Adeleye, who represented the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency of Ondo State, declaring him ineligible as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the federal constituency.
The court recognized Abdugani Arobo as the legitimate candidate for the party.
Adeleye had previously been listed as a candidate based on information provided to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC).
However, this decision sparked protests among several APC members and party leaders in Ondo State who opposed the NWC’s ruling.
Abdugani Arobo, one of the aspirants dissatisfied with the NWC’s selection, initiated legal action against the APC and INEC, culminating in the recent court decision.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the court held that the APC failed to make the lawful return and that the evidence of the party was riddled with inconsistencies.
The court declared that the plaintiff (Arobo) was the winner of the primary election for the House of Representatives election for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency.
The judgment read, “The plaintiff, having scored the highest lawful votes cast at the primary election held on the 16th day of May, 2026 with a total of 7,959 votes in Owo Local Government Area and 2,583 votes in Ose Local Government Area respectively, is the only aspirant whose name can be lawfully forwarded to the second defendant (INEC) as its nominated candidate for the seat of the House of Representatives, representing Owo/Ose Federal Constituency.
“An order is hereby made for the defendants to forthwith accept, recognise, support, relate and deal with only the plaintiff, as winner of the House of Representatives election for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, the plaintiff having scored the highest lawful votes cast in the first defendant’s primary election conducted on the 16th day of May, 2026.
“An order of perpetual injunction is made restraining the defendants, their agents and privies howsoever described, from recognising, dealing or relating with any other person apart from the plaintiff, as winner of the House of Representatives election for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, the plaintiff having scored the highest lawful votes cast in the first defendant’s primary election conducted on the 16th day of May, 2026.
“An order is further made, directing the 2nd defendant forthwith to reopen its portal, for the purpose of including and uploading the plaintiff’s name, as rightfully nominated candidate of the 1st defendant, for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency general election, to be conducted in 2027.”
The Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Gombe Local Government Area of Gombe State, Hon. Babangida Usman, popularly known as Babangida Ventures, has resigned from the party and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in support of the governorship ambition of Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami ahead of the 2027 general election.
Babangida announced his resignation in Gombe, confirming that he had stepped down as ADC Local Government Secretary before formally joining the PDP.
Explaining the reasons for his defection, he said his decision was driven by his conviction that Professor Pantami possesses the competence, experience and leadership qualities required to move Gombe State forward.
He described the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy as the most credible and capable aspirant in the 2027 governorship race, expressing confidence that his administration would accelerate development across the state.
According to him, his decision to align with the PDP was borne out of his desire to contribute to the realisation of Pantami’s governorship aspiration and the transformation of Gombe State.
The defection is the latest in a series of political realignments in the state following Pantami’s emergence as the PDP governorship candidate, with several politicians and supporters across party lines declaring their support for his ambition.
Professor Pantami is expected to fly the PDP flag in the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, denied social media reports that he urged Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
The Sultan’s media team, in a statement signed by Prince Bashir Adefaka on Tuesday, said the monarch cannot make partisan political statements publicly or privately.
Prince Bashir Adefaka urged Nigerians and media users to reject the claim, verify reports before sharing, and avoid dragging royal and religious institutions into politics.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that he has called on Nigerians to support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The Sultan’s media team, in a statement signed by Prince Bashir Adefaka and made available to Naija News on Tuesday, described the claim as false, insisting that the Sultan, as a father figure to all Nigerians, could not make such a partisan political statement either publicly or privately.
Adefaka urged Nigerians to disregard and condemn what it described as a malicious attempt to drag the Sultan into partisan politics.
“Our simple response to the report is that it is not possible for the Sultan, as the father of all, to make such a statement, either publicly or in any other forum,” the statement said.
It further stated, “Let it be made clear once again that the institutions of monarchy and religion led by the Sultan are institutions of a father figure. As such, His Eminence cannot but remain within the purview of that role by offering fatherly, royal and spiritual blessings, as well as guidance, to Nigerian politicians who seek his counsel and blessings.
“The Sultan’s doors cannot be shut against anyone who comes to him, regardless of political affiliation or persuasion. His Eminence has consistently demonstrated that he is the father of all and will continue to relate with all Nigerians without discrimination.”
The Media Team called on members of the public to reject any attempt to misrepresent the Sultan’s position or associate him with the political campaign or candidacy of any individual ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It added that the Sultan remained committed to promoting peace, unity, stability and peaceful coexistence among Nigeria’s diverse peoples and faiths.
The statement also appealed to media practitioners and social media users to exercise restraint by verifying information before sharing reports capable of misleading the public or dragging traditional and religious institutions into partisan political controversies
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