•Reveals The VP’s Role In TINUBU’s Campaign
A few days back, City People Magazine published a story on why Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has refused to campaign for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The story wondered why the VP has been missing, in the ongoing APC presidential campaign, especially at the recent rally held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, which is the VP’s home state.
Below are excerpts of the story:
A few days ago, when TVC Presenter, Morayo Brown interviewed Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Minister for Works & Housing about the goings on in the country, one of the questions she asked him was the whereabout of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. She said he has been missing in action. Where is our VP she asked. Is he still sulking? Is he still angry? Why has he not been part of the APC Presidential Campaign, she asked. BRF smiled and explained that he still met the VP that Wednesday evening. He revealed that the VP is strong and kicking and that contrary to the general believe, the VP is part of the campaign, though he is at the background. He smiled again.”
“That is the same question everyone is asking because months after the APC primaries, Prof. Osinbajo has been operating below the radar, coming out sparingly to do his official duties. Many believe that he is still very upset by his loss at the primaries where he came distant 3rd to his political godfather Tinubu who won. Insiders say the VP feels Tinubu it was who engineered his defeat out the primaries. Since his loss at the primaries, the VP and his wife, Dolapo have been unusually quiet and Tinubu had bowed to pressure to reach out to Osinbajo to pacify him. So, thrice, Tinubu has gone to visit Osinbajo and begged him, all to know avail.
Osinbajo is not the only one who is angry. Even his wife is also miffed at the shoddy treatment meted out to them by many politicians in the South West who once described the VP as a big betrayal. So since Prof. lost, he and his wife had withdrawn into their shell.”
“Even the 1st Lady Aisha Buhari referred to this in a statement she issued months back wherein she revealed all her attempts to appease Prof. Osinbajo and his wife failed. She appealed to both of them to forget the past and move on into the future. She revealed that she went through with her husband when he repeatedly lost his elections. She told them to stop sulking and come out of hiding. Many other elders of the party especially from Ogun State have stepped in to resolve the differences between Tinubu and Osinbajo. City People can authoritatively reveal that Tinubu has repeatedly told all those who have approached him for raproachment with the VP, that he bears him no grudge.
Before the APC primaries many party elders had approached VP Osinbajo to step ddown. They told him severally that it was impolitic for him to be contesting against the man who made him V.P. They even went to the extent liking the situation to the Awo/Akintola fight of the 50’s and that History will not be kind to Osinbajo if he goes the whole hog to contest against his political godfather. But he went ahead to contest and refused to step down when others like Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Senator Ibikunle Amosun stepped down for Asiwaju Tinubu last minute at the APC presidential primaries grounds.”
“What made it all the more glaring that Prof. Osinbajo had gone below the radar was when he was conspicuously missing at the Abeokuta APC presidential campaign rally which had all the APC Bigwigs in Ogun State in attendance like Aremo Olusegun Osoba. Many party leaders were angry that the VP who is the highest high ranking Ogun State APC chieftain in the government at the centre was not at the campaign. Also, since the campaign started in November, he has not attended any of the campaigns. As the most highranking South-West politician in President Buhari’s cabinet and the highest political officer holder from Ogun State, at the federal level, many had expected to see the VP at the rally, but he was conspicuously absent at the rally held in his home state, hosted by his state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun who is VP’s loyalist. His absence at the Abeokuta rally sent tongues wagging.”
The story did not go down well with members of the VP’s media team and a rejoinder was written by one Charles Okoye, who says he is IT Expert and social media analyst in Abuja.
Below are excerpts of his article titled 2023 Polls & City People’s long throat Journalism
From the onset of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign, the role of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was well defined and communicated by President Muhammadu Buhari, his boss.
A statement on September 24, 2022 issued by Festus Keyamo, the director of public affairs and chief spokesperson for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council read: “Our attention has been drawn to some stories making the rounds that there may be something amiss within the family of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the name of our own revered and respected Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, is not included in the list of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.
“Nothing can be farther from the facts. For the avoidance of doubt, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, is the Chairman of the Campaign Council. As a result, Mr. President has SPECIFICALLY directed that the Vice-President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha should be left out of the Campaign Council to concentrate on the governance of the country and administration of Government. As a responsible Party and Government, all the key functionaries of government cannot abandon their positions for electioneering campaigns. The APC has the mandate of the Nigerian people to administer the country on their behalf at least till May, 29, 2023, and this we intend to do with all sense of responsibility.”
“In hindsight, this statement was made in reference to unprofessional, unethical and poorly strewn blogs and soft news websites like City People.
The concluding part of Keyamo’s statement read, “We will not toe the path of those who governed the country in an irresponsible manner before us and our Party is not in total disarray like those who wish to ‘rescue’ the country, but cannot simply manage their own internal affairs.”
With this in mind, one will wonder why Seye Kehinde and his trolls will write such a poorly researched, below par article titled, WHY VP OSINBAJO HAS REFUSED TO CAMPAIGN FOR TINUBU. Starting from the grammatically incorrect headline, it showed that no real thinking or work was applied, in fact, this is below the gutter journalism that City People churn out on a regular.
To set the records straight, Prof. Osinbajo has not only congratulated the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, but he visited him personally at his Abuja residence on December 21, 2022.”
“It is on record that after the primaries, Osinbajo urged all party members to support Tinubu. On 9 June, two days after the primaries, he said and I quote, “I congratulate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory at our party primaries and his emergence as the Presidential Candidate and Flagbearer of our great party, the APC for the forthcoming 2023 Presidential Elections.”
“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the ministerial retreat in Abuja on October 18, 2022″For many decades, our Flagbearer has shown passion, patriotism, courage and determination in the cause of nation-building. His sterling contributions to our democracy and its progress stand him out. His wealth of experience will certainly be critical in our party’s continued efforts to attain a more secure and prosperous Nigeria.
But more importantly, the Vice President’s statement said, “to all members of our great party, regardless of who you voted for at the primaries, we must now unite behind our Presidential Candidate and Flagbearer to ensure victory for our party in the 2023 elections.”
How exactly is he a sore loser? This is nothing but the figment of the imagination of a drowning magazine. City People in its bid to entrench long throat journalism and cause bad blood within the APC which is what they are paid to do, made bogus and unverifiable references to the presidential rally in Ogun state.
Without any fact or reference, City People concocted their own version of events despite the fact that it was well documented that the Vice President was chairing the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on the same day as the rally. An average Nigerian knows that FEC meetings hold every Wednesday something that is elusive to City People magazine.”
“Is City People suggesting that the VP leave matters of national importance? Is City People suggesting he disrespects his boss who ordered him to face governance? It is hard to understand what City People wants but one thing is clear, the magazine is anti-APC and Nigerians can see through their long-throat journalism.”
“Prof. Osinbajo is a man committed to the APC and this was again evident on February 1, 2023 when he received the APC Legal Team at the Presidential Villa after the weekly FEC meeting.
The meeting was attended by the two Ministers who are Senior Advocates of Nigeria: Mr. Babatunde Fashola and Mr. Festus Keyamo. The current APC National Legal Adviser Barr. Ahmed El-Marzuk and his predecessor, Mr. Babatunde Ogala, SAN, were also in attendance among other party and government officials seen at the Villa.
Only yesterday, February 7, 2023, the Vice President was marketing the APC at the National Delegates’ Conference of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, where he was Special Guest of Honour.
Charles Okoye, an IT expert and social media analyst wrote from Abuja
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