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| Prof.Osibanjo |
Osinbajo was the Lagos State
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice when the APC National
Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was governor.
The Ogun State-born serving pastor of the
Redeemed Christian Church of God, is married to a granddaughter of the
late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Decked in a dark suit, a white shirt and a red tie, he promised, in his acceptance speech, to rebuild Nigeria with Buhari.
Before
Buhari formally unveiled him at the APC national headquarters in Abuja,
Tinubu had issued a statement in which he said that the APC
presidential candidate offered him(Tinubu) the position of running
mate.
The former Lagos State governor, who was
reported to have had interest in the post, explained that he rejected
the offer because of his decision to remain a bridge builder across all
divides.
While presenting Osinbajo, Buhari said,
“To assist me in this great task of securing Nigeria’s future, I have
chosen a man of unimpeachable integrity, an excellent professional, a
man of faith, a devoted family man and a role model to our fellow
countrymen and women.
“He is a professor of Law and a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria. An alumnus of the University of Lagos and the
London School of Economics. He is a prodigious author who has to his
credit several books on civil procedure in Nigerian superior courts.
“The vice-presidential candidate is a friend of the less privileged, compassionate and zealous in service.
“A man of uncommon humility, a loyal,
dependable and selfless patriot. He is Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who by the
grace of God and the vote of Nigerians, will be the next vice-president
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Buhari expressed gratitude to Nigerians
for their growing support since his election as the APC presidential
candidate for the February 14, 2015 poll.
According to him, the huge acceptance of
the APC and his candidacy by Nigerians had boosted his resolve to lead
the process of rebuilding Nigeria and securing “our future.”
He recalled that in his acceptance
speech, he pledged to run an efficient government, fight corruption and
indiscipline in “our national life” if elected president.
The APC candidate also promised to end
the current regime of fear and uncertainty in the country and place
priority on national security.
He pledged to rebuild our battered
economy and reduce poverty by deliberate policies that would lead to
the creation of jobs for Nigerian youths.
Buhari said, “The challenging process of
rescuing our country and changing Nigeria for good has commenced. One of
the first decisions that I have to make is the choice of my running
mate.”
Explaining the delay in the announcement
of his running mate, the former Head of State, said the method employed
in choosing Osinbajo was “quite meticulous but yet rigorous.”
He said that it involved the
establishment of objective criteria, broad consultations with party
leaders and a few opinion leaders outside the party as well as
interactions with a number of nominees.
Accepting the offer, Osinbajo said he was
privileged to be offered the opportunity to serve as Buhari’s running
mate. He explained that he had consulted widely before taking on the
task.
The former commissioner said, “The task
of rebuilding this nation is one to which I am fully committed. There
can be no other President, Leader and commander that can lead that
common sense revolution Nigeria urgently needs than Gen. Buhari.
“I will proudly serve this country with
him. Gen. Buhari’s uprightness and fierce commitment to good governance
are well known. It will be a privilege to work with him.
“I come to this assignment with a lot of
hope and a resolve to be a part of this movement to bring Nigeria back
to its lost glory. With the support of all Nigerians and the help of
God, we shall make Nigeria work again.
“I will work with him and the party to
restore hope and confidence in millions of our youths and provide
comfort and security for millions of our countrymen and women.”
The selection of the APC
vice-presidential candidate had generated intense debate and interest
since the emergence of Buhari as the presidential candidate last Friday.
Governors Rotimi Amaechi(Rivers); and
Babatunde Fashola(Lagos); as well as a former governor of Ekiti
State, Kayode Fayemi; Senator Chris Ngige and former National Chairman
of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, had
previously been tipped for the vice presidential slot.
It was learnt after the unveiling of
Osinbajo that Amaechi would be named the Director-General of the APC
presidential campaign.
Buhari offered me running mate position –Tinubu
Earlier on Wednesday, Tinubu had
explained that he decided not to jostle for the vice-presidential slot
because he believed that his position as the APC National Leader,
allowed him to serve as “a bridge builder across all divides.”
Tinubu, in a statement he personally
signed in Abuja on Wednesday, said, “There came a time during the course
of the events when our Presidential candidate, offered the
Vice-Presidential slot to me.
“Being a normal human being, I was deeply
moved and honoured that he would consider me for the position. Being a
patriot, I had to weigh my potential candidacy in all of its dimensions.
“I have concluded that in the interest of
the party, our campaign and the nation are better served if I retain my
position as the National leader of the APC.
Tinubu said despite the opposition that arose over his possible selection, Buhari stood firm and steadfast.
He said with this, Buhari showed the
traits of a leader in holding to a decision he believed was right
despite the plots against it.
The former governor said he was not bothered by lies being said about his person when his name was mentioned.
He said, “When my name was raised, the
political hatchet men tried to chop it down with rumour and lies. Over
the years, I have developed a thick skin.
“The personal attacks did not bother me. I
am used to them. While I have a thick skin, I don’t have a thick
mind. There has been one form of attack that has troubled me.”
The attack, he said, was that of
Muslim-Muslim ticket, which according to him, was orchestrated by
the Peoples Democratic Party.
“That is the attack based on religion. The PDP and others have stoked fear of a Muslim- Muslim ticket.’’
Tinubu pleaded with Nigerians “not to
allow the power lust of cynical politicians to set brother against
brother, neighbour against neighbour.
“If you look at those politicians who
raise this issue the most, they are the least devout and faithful to any
religion other than their self-interests.
“Nigeria has too many secular problems –
insecurity, economic collapse, poverty, corruption and misgovernance –
to allow inept people to use religion to keep us from solving these
challenges for the benefit of all.”
He said that those who exploit religion
should be wary, because “ there really is a God and he does not like it
when you play with His people or use His name to do the opposite of what
He intends.
“I ask the people to remove religion from
the electoral equation now that the tickets of both parties are mixed. I
ask you to select the ticket best able to end the downward slide that
Nigeria has endured since this government took over. I ask you to
remember that too many Christians and Muslims are poor.
“Most of all, I ask you to remember that
the true religion of the PDP is poverty; the APC is here to bring
prosperity to the people.”
He promised to work and dedicate himself
“so that our ticket succeeds and wins the 2015 election – not for his
good, not for my good, not even for the party’s good but for the good of
the nation we inhabit.”
Choice of Buhari’s running mate belated –PDP
The PDP has described the announcement of Osinbajo as Buhari’s running mate as belated.
It also described the choice of Osinbajo
as a confirmation of its stand that the APC was the personal project of a
cabal commanded by Tinubu.
The PDP, through its National Publicity
Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, said, “should power get to this cabal, who
is desperate to control the political and economic power centre of the
nation, then Nigeria is finished.
“By the choice of Osinbajo, a well-known
acolyte of Tinubu, who served under him as Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, the APC, Buhari and Tinubu have boldly
recreated their well-known sectional and personal interests.
“It is particularly worrisome that Buhari
has surrendered his first official responsibility of choosing a running
mate. He has invariably surrendered his powers to Tinubu even before he
goes to the field to ask for votes.
“This is not surprising of Buhari, who
has consistently exhibited a track record of incompetence. This is the
same man who as military head of state surrendered all his powers to his
second in command.”
Culled from Punch Newspaper
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