Kogiflame
The National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had said that during the election that brought Buhari to power in 2015, he was offered the vice-presidential ticket by the then presidential candidate of the APC ( Buhari), but opted to hand it over to Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
He lamented that he has grown increasingly tired of producing his children (others) as political office holders, maintaining that his time has come to take a shot at the presidency.
Tinubu revealed this at Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday while addressing APC delegates in the state.
The APC presidential aspirant who spoke extensively in Yoruba during his address, said he stood by Buhari after he lost elections to be president thrice as a candidate under the platforms of the All Peoples Party (APP), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) respectively.
”lf not for me that stood before you and said to Buhari, move forward and let’s go ahead with it, he would not have become president,” Tinubu said.
”He attempted it the first time, he failed. He tried the second one, he failed. He did it the third time, he also failed.
”He was later crying on television that he will never run again in his life.
”l took it upon myself to meet him in Kaduna that you will run again. And said to him, this is not a matter of crying, l will stand by you and you will be elected.
”The only condition is that you will take the affairs of Yoruba people seriously and he agreed.
”Ever since he assumed the presidency, l did not lobby for ministerial position, l didn’t go after any contract, l didn’t beg for soup, garri or fury from him and l didn’t get a loan from him.
”This time around, it is the turn of the Yoruba. And if we pick from among the Yoruba, it’s my turn.
”l am tired of producing children into political offices. I also want to be president. I cannot be relegated to the dustbin of history,” Tinubu explained.
While speaking on who should succeed President Buhari, Tinubu said it was the turn of the South to produce president as only the North cannot continue to rule Nigeria.
Speaking on his experience at Abeokuta, the national leader said ”I have been there since the days of the Alliance for Democracy through Action Congress of Nigeria which later became the All Progressives Congress.
”l have been in the political terrain for the past 25 years and helped many people achieve their politucal aspirations.
”lt took the intervention of God and my support for your governor, Dapo Abiodun to become governor,” Tinubu said
He recounted that they didn’t want to hand Abiodun the ticket to become APC flag bearer for the 2019 gubernatorial election in Ogun State, but he insisted that it should be handed over to him.
He maintained that the Governor Dapo Abiodun scenario came in a similar fashion to the sacrifice he made for Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in 2015.
The former Lagos State Governor then appealed to the APC delegates in the state to vote for him to clinch the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 poll.
