Tunji Bello gives insider account of how Osinbajo emerged Buhari’s VP candidate

Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, has thrown light on the circumstances that led to the nomination of Professor Yemi Osinbajo has the running-mate to President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 presidential election.

Tunji Bello in an open letter, on Thursday,  described the account given by Professor John Paden in a book entitled, ‘Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria,’ on how Osinbajo became the Vice President of the country is based on falsehood, reeking with deliberate misinformation and mischief.

The Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG) said he knew how Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu picked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, saying he was part of the process that midwifed his nomination.

He said; “in mid-December 2014, after President Mohammadu Buhari had been picked by All Progressives Congress (APC), at the party’s presidential primaries at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

“I received a phone call from Asiwaju to see him that morning. On my way to his house, I discovered that a car at a reasonable distance was that of former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dele Alake, who was, ostensibly, heading towards Asiwaju’s house in Ikoyi. Asiwaju must have called him too for that task that could be explained underneath.

“As soon as we arrived, Asiwaju quickly asked us to join him in his car as we headed to a Guest House. At the Guest House, the former APC Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and one renowned Pastor joined us.

“At the meeting, Asiwaju related to us the urgent need to pick a Vice Presidential candidate for the APC. He advised that we immediately discard the idea of his being nominated for the vice-presidential slot as it was no longer possible to pick a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“This he reasoned made sense if indeed we were to be realistic in our bid to defeat President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election. He reasoned that what was important and imperative at that time was to look for a good Christian nominee to complement President Mohammadu Buhari.”

According to Bello, after several hours of deliberation and brainstorming, they agreed with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to pick Professor Yemi Osinbajo as Buhari’s running mate.

He said it is saddening that the book launch of the president was deployed to create a make-believe story that puts the society at a disadvantage of history; adding that “if a political adversary had done that, one would not have been disturbed.”