Osinbajo Absent As APC Flags-off 2023 Presidential Campaign For Tinubu

The Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo was conspicuously absent on Tuesday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) officially flagged off the 2023 presidential campaigns for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Jos, Plateau State.

Naija News reports President Muhammadu Buhari led a host of APC stalwarts to Jos, the Plateau State capital for the official kick-off of campaigns for Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima.

There had been insinuations from some quarters that Osinbajo might not fully support the presidential ambition of Tinubu after losing against the former Lagos State Governor during the APC primaries in Abuja.

The Vice President’s name was also missing from the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) list but in explaining the absence, the party said President Buhari had directed Osinbajo to focus on governance while the party plays the politics needed to retain power in 2023.

No Cold War

Naija News reports that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, and many others who contested against Tinubu in the ruling party’s presidential primary are reported to be aggrieved and refused to support his presidential ambition.

The APC in a recent statement by its spokesperson, Felix Morka however debunked the claims of a cold war between the presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and some presidential aspirants.

Morka noted that all the presidential aspirants in the party contested to clinch the party’s ticket.

He, however, stated the presidential aspirants who are aggrieved have the right to express their grievances due to their failure to clinch the party’s ticket but it doesn’t mean they won’t work for Tinubu.

He further stated that the party is working on the inside to address the grievances of party members.

Election Around The Corner

The absence of Osinbajo might have cast fresh doubts on the reconciliation activities in the APC ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Tinubu may have the task cut out for him to bring the aggrieved persons to his side with a few months left before the 2023 presidential election scheduled for February.