Yesterday, American author Professor John Paden unveiled a biography of the president titled Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenge of Leadership in Nigeria, in Abuja. Among other things, it revealed how the president chose Professor Yemi Osinbajo as his running mate for the 2015 presidential election despite the opposition Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Across Nigeria, the general belief was that Asiwaju Tinubu was instrumental to the emergence of Professor Osinbajo, who served as his attorney general when he was the Lagos State governor. However, according to the book, the names of Asiwaju Tinubu, the then Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola and Professor Osinbajo, were forwarded to President Buhari for him to pick a running mate shortly after he emerged as the party’s candidate at its convention in Lagos.
According to the author, President Buhari chose Professor Osinbajo above others despite enormous pressure from Asiwaju Tinubu to do otherwise. He, however, did not disclose who forwarded the list of the three nominees to President Buhari.
Professor Paden wrote: “With Buhari coming from the northwest geopolitical zone, the vice-presidency had been ceded to the southwest geopolitical zone. Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State and political godfather of the southwest geopolitical zone, felt he should be the vice-presidential candidate.
“His protégée and the then popular governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, was also a possible candidate but both Tinubu and Fashola were Muslims, which complicated the national balance. A third candidate, Yemi Osinbajo, had been attorney general of Lagos State and a senior law professor and a pastor, so when the three names were forwarded to Buhari, he chose Osinbajo despite enormous pressure from Tinubu.”
Although Asiwaju Tinubu was one of the four persons who reviewed the book on Monday, he did not raise any objection to the author’s claim. While recalling how the Buhari presidency emerged, however, Asiwaju Tinubu merely said that Professor Osinbajo was named running mate because of the need for a religiously-balanced ticket given the sensitiveness of the moment.
Asiwaju Tinubu said: “There was the sticky issue of selecting a running mate. After careful study and discussion, it was agreed that we should field a religiously-balanced ticket given the sensitiveness of the moment.
“Based on this conclusion, the name of Yemi Osinbajo, renowned law professor and former Lagos State attorney general during my tenure as governor, was proposed as an excellent running mate. Osinbajo is also a pastor in the largest church in the entire country and this would answer those who wrongfully tried to paint Buhari as intolerant.”
At the book presentation, former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was the special guest of honour, described the 320-page book as a mixture of history and current affairs. Chief Obasanjo added that the author’s account was accurate except for a few incorrect insinuations, which he said could be understood.
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