2022 APC Primary: Buhari repeatedly assured Osinbajo of support – Ex-presidential aide Ojudu

"The matter of whether Vice President Osinbajo should run for President was discussed directly and personally between him and President Muhammadu Buhari on no fewer than four separate occasions. On each of these occasions, President Buhari expressed clear, unequivocal support for the Vice President’s ambition,” he said.

A former Special Adviser to the President, Office of the Vice President, Babafemi Ojudu, has stated that the late former President, Muhammadu Buhari, stated multiple times that he was in support of the presidential ambition of his then deputy, Yemi Osinbajo.

Mr Ojudu, a former senator for Ekiti Central between 2011 and 2015, said any narrative suggesting otherwise is misleading and historically inaccurate.

He made the clarification in a statement shared on his social media platforms on Thursday, in response to claims in a book by Charles Omole titled Muhammadu Buhari: From Soldier to Statesman.

The book portrayed that there was internal dynamics within the Buhari administration, particularly regarding presidential succession.

Mr Ojudu, who served in the office of the vice president between 2016 and 2022, said he personally witnessed at least four occasions when Mr Osinbajo discussed his ambition to succeed Mr Buhari, and on each occasion, the late president expressed clear support.

“The matter of whether Vice President Osinbajo should run for President was discussed directly and personally between him and President Muhammadu Buhari on no fewer than four separate occasions. On each of these occasions, President Buhari expressed clear, unequivocal support for the Vice President’s ambition,” he said.

Mr Ojudu said at no point did former president direct or suggest that Mr Osinbajo should refrain from contesting or defer his ambition in favour of any other aspirant.

“At no time—explicitly or implicitly—did President Buhari suggest that Professor Osinbajo should refrain from contesting. At no time did he indicate a preference that the Vice President should defer to, step aside for, or subordinate his ambition to any other aspirant, including the eventual nominee of the party,” he noted.

Background to Osinbajo’s ambition

PREMIUM TIMES reports that in the build-up to the 2023 elections, Mr Osinbajo presented himself as a continuity candidate with deep knowledge of government, policy experience, and national exposure gained during nearly eight years in office.

His decision to run, however, placed him on a direct collision course with his long-time political benefactor, Bola Tinubu, now Nigeria’s president, who was widely regarded as the political architect of the Buhari–Osinbajo ticket in 2015.

Mr Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor and national leader of the APC, had harboured presidential ambitions for years and considered the 2023 race as his long-awaited turn. Mr Osinbajo’s entry into the contest was therefore perceived within Mr Tinubu’s camp as a betrayal of political loyalty and an affront to an established succession plan.

As the ruling party’s primary election approached, the rivalry between Messrs Osinbajo and Tinubu deepened. The latter leveraged his extensive grassroots political structure, particularly among party delegates, governors, and power brokers, while the former VP relied more on his record in office, technocratic appeal, and the perceived moral backing of Mr Buhari.

Despite public perceptions that Mr Osinbajo enjoyed goodwill within the presidency, this did not translate into decisive institutional or political backing at the primaries. At the APC presidential primary held in Abuja in June 2022, Mr Osinbajo eventually came third in the primary, behind Mr Tinubu and former transport minister Rotimi Amaechi.

Mr Tinubu won the primary decisively, showing the limits of Mr Osinbajo’s political network and exposing the reality that the latter lacked a strong, independent political structure capable of competing with Mr Tinubu’s decades-old machinery.

Occasions Buhari expressed support

Mr Ojudu explained that on the first occasion the forme president became aware of Mr Osinbajo’s ambition, he advised him to carefully reflect on the decision and assured him of his support, whatever path he chose.

“On the first occasion, President Buhari advised the Vice President to reflect carefully on the prospects of a presidential bid, make up his mind, and assured him that he would support whatever decision he took,” he said.

By the third discussion, Mr Ojudu noted, Mr Buhari went further, describing Mr Osinbajo as the best person to succeed him due to his experience and performance in government.

“By the third discussion, President Buhari went further. In his considered judgment, he stated plainly that Professor Osinbajo was by far the best person for the job. He emphasised continuity and stability, noting that after nearly seven years in office the Vice President had: developed an intimate understanding of the workings of government, worked diligently and loyally, successfully acted as president on multiple occasions, and demonstrated the steadiness required to lead the country forward ” the former presidential aide said.

He added that the late former president reiterated on several occasions that Mr Osinbajo was best suited to continue his governance legacy and assured him of all reasonable support.

“President Buhari reiterated more than once that he believed Vice President Osinbajo’s candidature was best for continuity and stability, and he assured him that he would do all he reasonably could to support him.”

The fourth affirmation, Mr Ojudu said, came shortly before friends and associates obtained the party’s presidential nomination forms on the former vice president’s behalf.

“The fourth discussion took place shortly before friends and associates obtained the presidential nomination forms on the Vice President’s behalf. Once again, President Buhari expressed his full support, leaving no room for ambiguity as to his position.”

He noted that Mr Buhari publicly acknowledged Mr Osinbajo’s extensive nationwide consultations during a Federal Executive Council meeting and advised him to engage widely with governors and the leadership of the National Assembly before formally declaring his ambition, an advice the former vice president followed.

“This support was not confined to private conversations. During the primary season, President Buhari publicly remarked at a Federal Executive Council meeting that he observed how tirelessly his Vice President was campaigning across the country. He further advised him to consult widely—specifically encouraging engagement with state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly—before formally declaring his ambition. The Vice President followed this advice faithfully,” he stated.

Mr Ojudu, a veteran journalist, said upon the declaration of Mr Osinbajo, the former president reportedly commended him and requested to review his declaration speech, which was presented to him.

He also revealed that at least three governors separately met with Mr Buhari to discuss Mr Osinbajo’s candidature, and on each occasion, the former president affirmed that the former vice president was the best candidate.

He argued that given the relationship of trust and mutual respect between both men, it was implausible and mischievous to suggest that Mr Osinbajo would have pursued a presidential ambition without Mr Buhari’s knowledge and approval.

Mr Ojudu concluded by criticising the methodology of accounts in Mr Omole’s book that failed to consult key actors in documenting the Buhari administration.

“History is not written to settle scores. It is written to illuminate truth. And those who bend it to serve personal animus may enjoy a fleeting moment of attention, but they rarely survive the judgment of time,” the former presidential aide said.