.....says it's my turn to be President
By Peter Adedoyin
Former Lagos State Governor and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed that he forgo his right to be Vice President to the incumbent, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in the 2015 general election.
Tinubu said this on Thursday, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, while addressing leadership of the party as well as state delegate ahead of the party's presidential primary election slated for Abuja on Monday.
The former Lagos State governor, who was received by the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, shared his political prowess with the party members, stressing that ‘I have five governors in South West'.
Tinubu disclosed that his political strength should be considered by the delegates in their choice during the forthcoming APC primary election.
The APC chieftain said the reason for forgoing his position then was to make way for a Muslim/Christian ticket in 2015.
“I forgo my VP right to Yemi Osinbajo in 2015”, Tinubu said succinctly as delegates praised him in an uproar.
Since the time we started with the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now the All Progressives Congress (APC), I wanted to contest for President that time.
"What I am telling you now is between me and God Almighty. Prior to 2015 general elections, Buhari called me to be his Vice President. He said because the first time he contested, he picked Chuba Okadigbo, a flamboyant politician, a Catholic, but Nigerians didn't vote for him. The second time, he picked another Igbo, Umeh Ezeoke, Nigerians didn't vote for him, that if he goes to bring the Pope to run as his vice, Nigerians won't vote for him, but you, Bola Tinubu, you have six governors, you have never lost an election before, come and be my vice".
"He knew all the calculations then favoured us, that is why he wanted me as his vice, but I told him to let us build the party first. And when we finished building the party, after we brought in people from the PDP, Saraki now saw those from the PDP will not get anything if Buhari; a Muslim becomes the President and me, also a Muslim becomes his vice, he won't get the Senate President because the Senate President cannot also be a Muslim, that was how they started the campaign of calumny against me".
"And I told them that I have a candidate that is a Christan that I can nominate, so that the party will not break, that was how I nominated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. I surrendered my right to to him (Osinbajo)".
"I was asked to submit three names, Yemi Cardozo, Wale Edun and Yemi Osinbajo, but I told them if I submit three names, they will believe that I am not consistent and I insisted that I will present one candidate and I presented Yemi Osinbajo's name".
"It is my time, I'm educated, I'm experienced. I have been serving you for a long time, bring me presidency, it is my turn".
"When Atiku Abubarka was being flogged out of PDP by Obasanjo, he ran to me for help. I let the ticket for him. Nuhu Ribadu came to me and I backed him".
"It has been over 25 years now that I have been serving them. This one sitting behind me, Dapo, can he say he can be the Governor without me? We were together at the MKO Abiola Stadium, he was intimidated, they didn't want to give him the party's flag, I was the one that handed the flag to him. He knows that he cannot be the governor without the help of God and my support".
"If not for me that stood behind Buhari, he wouldn't have become the president. He tried the first time, he failed, the second time, he failed, the third time, he failed, he even wept on a national television and vowed never to contest again, but I went to meet him in Kaduna and told him he will run again, I will stand by you and you will win, but you must not joke with Yorubas and he agreed".
"Since he became the president, I have never got ministerial slots, I didn't collect any contract, I have never begged for anything from him. It is the turn of Yoruba to produce President. It is my turn".
Responding, Governor Abiodun described Tinubu as a fighter, bold, strategist, mentor and dogged politician.
He said "This is a crucial time in the history of our nation. We shall do the needful and will justify why the power must come to the South West."
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