Oreva Okolor Ben
The Coordinator, Progressive Lawyers For Osinbajo (PLO), Dr. Kayode Ajulo, has urged former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, to advise the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to shelve his presidential ambition and pave the way for the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Dr. Kayode Ajulo, former National Secretary of Labour Party (LP), gave the passionate plea, Thursday, after the news of the APC National leader’s visit to Babangida hit the airwaves. As ex-military President who had encountered such a senario before, Ajulo argued that IBB was in the best position to prevail on the former Lagos State Governor to preserve his reputation by not running for President in 2023.
Ajulo recalled that “in 2007, after signifying his interest to run for the office of the President, President Babangida withdrew the bid for President Umaru Yar’adua on the ground that Yar’adua was his younger brother.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the political leader of Prof. Osinbajo. In fact, he was a major influence on how the VP got his present position and I am sure he’s proud of his numerous achievements. Asiwaju should be advised to throw his weight behind the VP to become the next President.”
Meanwhile, the former Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained his reasons for visiting former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, saying, he went to receive his fatherly blessings.
Tinubu stated this after a closed-door meeting with the elder statesman in his Hilltop country home in Minna, Niger State.
While responding to newsmen on the purpose of his visit to IBB, the former Governor of Lagos State said he was in Niger State to sympathize with the state over its security challenges and decided to visit the elder statesman to receive his blessings.
In his words: “if you restrict my visit to this house that is it. Generally, I came to Niger State to commiserate with the Governor and the people of Niger State. And so, I can’t stop by without paying a courtesy call to the enigma General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Retired”.
On whether he got his blessings, the presidential candidate replied, ” he gave me his prayers. You want to know the outcome of the consultation? that is really none of your business; we are running a democracy”.
Read also: 2023: Refrain From Actions Capable of Breaching Public Peace – CIS
Speaking on his ambition, he stated,” I took my decision voluntarily and I am running for the Presidency of the country, we are running a democracy, thank you very much and God bless you”.
Senator Tinubu disclosed that having declared his intention, he has started consultations and is ready to consult widely with relevant stakeholders across the nation.
“When I made the declaration, I told you that I am still consulting and I will consult as widely as possible,” he further added.
