Tinubu Was Pressurised To Join Presidential Race – Osoba

Former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba has said the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, was persuaded to join the 2023 presidential race.

Osoba disclosed that prominent and progressive politicians from the South West region influenced Tinubu in 2007 to contest for the presidency in 2023.

The former governor made this known while speaking at the Yoruba Leaders of Thought Summit at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Monday.

The APC chieftain said the idea of Tinubu should aspire for president of Nigeria was muted at a dinner organised for him after he ended his tenure as governor of Lagos State.

According to him, many prominent and progressive politicians were at the dinner held at Lagos hotel to honour him for his outstanding performance.

He said, “It was at the gathering in 2007, we all pressurized him to aspire for president and he agreed, since then, he had worked tirelessly to justify the confidence we have in him.”

The former governor said he later moved the motion for the endorsement of Tinubu which was seconded by the former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Samson Oladokun.

Present at the event included APC Vice Presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, his Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, former Osun governor, Gboyega Oyetola; former Ogun governors, Segun Osoba, and Gbenga Daniel, respectively.

Others are the summit included retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu; Convener of the Yoruba Leaders of Thoughts, Tajudeen Olusi, Secretary of the group, Adebayo Aina; Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi; Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Sotobi; and Nollywood actress, Toyin Abraham.