Presidential candidate and national leader of the Congress of All Progressives, claimed on Thursday that President Muhammadu Buhari (retired) wanted him to be his running mate in the 2015 presidential election.
Tinubu, describing the circumstances leading to Professor Yemi Osinbajo's election as vice president, said Buhari had offered him a run as running mate, but some blocks had opposed it.
According to the former governor, he was asked to present three candidates for the running mate position and settled on Yemi Cardoso, Wale Edun, and Yemi Osinbajo.
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He went on to say that he finally settled on Osinbajo as his only option ."This is the first time you've heard from me." Tinubu, addressing the delegates in Yoruba, commented, "This is the first place I express this." Here I inform you that Buhari has asked me to be his Vice President and it is between me and Almighty God.
He claimed Buhari chose Chubo Okadigbo when he first ran, but Nigerians did not vote for him.The second time, he chose another Igbo, (Edwin) UmeEzeoke, Nigerians did not vote for him as well
But you, Bola Tinubu, have six governors and never lost an election. Come and be my vice. He knew that all the calculations were in our favor at the time, so he wanted me to be his deputy, but I told him that we had to form the party first.
And when we finished establishing the party and brought in members of the People's Democratic Party (Bukola), Saraki realized that if Buhari, a Muslim like me, becomes president, and i also become his deputy, then the President of the Senate cannot be a Muslim.
That was the start of his smear campaign against me. And I told them I had a Christian candidate that I could nominate to keep the party together, and so vice president Yemi Osinbajo was chosen.I renounced my right to him (Osinbajo), Tinubu stated