Director General of the Voice Of Nigeria (VON) and Chieftain of the governing All Progressive Congress (APC) Osita Okechukwu, has revealed that former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will be among the top members of the party that will be to replace President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
APC had recently said it will use the consensus method in arriving at the party’s presidential flagbearer ahead of 2023.
Okechukwu who applauded the party for the move, added that it will bring stability to the party and save it from implosion.
In a chat with journalists in Abuja, the VON DG maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari has no thought toward a third-term agenda.
He said: “One slept well last night after reading the profound statement from the social media credited to Distinguished Senator John Akpanudedehe, our National Secretary that at the appropriate time APC will come up with a consensus and agreeable presidential candidate that will fly its flag in 2023.
“First it is refreshing that President Buhari is not for 3rd Term Agenda. Second, in my slightest imagination one doesn’t think any committee handling such delicate matter will miss out our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the matrix.
Methinks, he will be among the top aspirants to be considered, given his immense contribution to the success of our great party in 2015.
Prodded further to confirm the notions held in certain quarters that there was an agreement between President Buhari and Tinubu to succeed each other, Okechukwu quipped, “As a member of the defunct CPC, I never heard of such an agreement and most importantly Mr President is not wont to or better put rarely enter into any formal or informal agreement with anybody. But he appreciates good deeds.
“All I know was that Asiwaju automatically could have been the Vice President if not for what lawyers will call force majeure. For our leadership warned against Muslim/Muslim ticket. Our leadership then argued that the Abiola/Kingibe Muslim/Muslim ticket which worked in 1993 may not work in 2015, if Buhari/Tinubu both Muslims were to run, as the scenario differs. That was how Asiwaju nominated Professor Yemi Osinbajo as a replacement.”