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Bisi Akande, a prominent founding member of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has revealed that former President Muhammadu Buhari explicitly denied instigating ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to challenge now-President Bola Tinubu for the party’s presidential ticket in 2022. Akande, speaking on a recent podcast, recounted Buhari’s insistence that he did not encourage Osinbajo’s bid, a contest that ultimately saw Tinubu emerge as the APC’s flagbearer. This disclosure sheds new light on the behind-the-scenes political maneuvers leading up to the highly anticipated primary election.
According to Akande’s account, he directly questioned Buhari regarding the widespread speculation about his alleged role in Osinbajo’s candidacy. Buhari, Akande stated, was keen to demonstrate his non-involvement, emphasizing a cultural perspective where a mentee typically defers to their mentor’s interest in a political position. Despite this, Buhari reportedly expressed surprise when Osinbajo declared his intention to run but subsequently wished him well, according to Akande.
The 2022 APC presidential primary election was a fiercely contested race, culminating in Bola Tinubu’s decisive victory as the party’s standard-bearer. Yemi Osinbajo, who served as Vice President under Buhari for eight years, finished a distant third. The contest drew significant attention due to the long-standing political relationship between Tinubu and Osinbajo, with many viewing the latter as a political protégé of the former Lagos State governor.
Osinbajo’s political ascent is widely linked to Tinubu, under whom he served as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General during Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State Governor. Speculations have long suggested that Tinubu played a crucial role in Osinbajo’s selection as Buhari’s running mate in 2015, further solidifying the perception of a mentor-mentee dynamic. The decision by Osinbajo to contest against his perceived mentor therefore generated considerable discussion within political circles.
Akande, deeply involved in the pre-primary negotiations, shared his personal aspiration for a unified Yoruba presidency and his efforts to foster a spirit of camaraderie among the aspirants. He convened several meetings, urging candidates to prioritize issues over personal attacks and to consider voluntarily stepping down to present a stronger, united front. His objective was to ensure a smooth emergence of a single, formidable candidate from the region.
On the eve of the primary, Akande noted that some aspirants indeed withdrew their candidacies, albeit at a late stage. However, Osinbajo maintained his decision to remain in the race, a move Akande affirmed was within his constitutional right. Akande stated that he did not subsequently discuss Osinbajo’s decision not to step down with Tinubu, acknowledging every individual’s right to pursue their political ambitions without coercion.
Akande’s disclosure, however, stands in stark contrast to claims made in “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammad Buhari,” an authorized biography penned by Dr. Charles Omole. The book asserts that former President Buhari did not support Osinbajo’s presidential aspiration in 2022. This divergence of accounts from key figures adds another layer of complexity to the narrative surrounding the 2022 primary.
According to the biography, Buhari explicitly stated that he never knew Osinbajo prior to his emergence as Vice President, claiming he became acquainted with the former Vice President solely through Bola Tinubu. This assertion directly contradicts Akande’s portrayal of Buhari being surprised by Osinbajo’s contest but wishing him well, suggesting a more distant and perhaps less supportive stance from the former president towards his then-deputy’s ambition.
These conflicting narratives from influential political figures underscore the intricate and often opaque nature of high-stakes political maneuvering within Nigeria’s ruling party. They offer differing perspectives on the relationships and allegiances that shaped the path to the 2023 general elections, continuing to fuel public interest and analysis into the internal dynamics of the APC and its key players.
