I have no son grown enough to declare, says Tinubu on Osinbajo’s presidential bid

Bola Tinubu, presidential hopeful, says he has no son grown enough to declare for the 2023 presidential election.

The comment came a few hours after Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo joined the presidential race.

Since 1999, Tinubu and Osinbajo have enjoyed a cordial political relationship. The latter served as the attorney-general of Lagos from 1999 to 2007 when the former was the governor of the state.

It is widely believed in some quarters that Tinubu nominated Osinbajo as President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2015 as part of the political bargaining that led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

On Monday, the vice-president unveiled his presidential bid after months of speculation and denial — meaning Tinubu, who declared his bid back in January, will have to square up against Osinbajo, who is regarded as his “political son”.

Shortly after Osinbajo declared his presidential ambition, Tinubu met with 12 APC governors in Abuja. TheCable learned that Osinbajo had earlier held a similar meeting on Sunday night.

Speaking with the press after meeting with the governors, Tinubu said: “My mission is to seek collaboration, support and encouragement of my party — the APC for my ambition and mission to become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

Asked to react to the presidential declaration of his “son”, the former Lagos governor said he has no son grown enough to join the presidential race.

“I have no son grown enough to declare,” Tinubu responded.

The governors who met with Tinubu are Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna; Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state; Simon Lalong of Plateau; Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano; Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi; Mai Mala Buni of Yobe; Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos; Hope Uzodimma of Imo; Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa; Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa, and Gboyega Oyetola of Osun.