Tinubu Rejects Lawan, Yahaya Bello As Running Mates

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has turned down a proposal to pick either Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello as his running mate, sources in the party informed Daily Independent on Wednesday.

Our correspondent gathered that both Lawan and Bello who contested the APC presidential primary with Tinubu earlier this month have been lobbying President Muhammadu Buhari and other stakeholders to prevail on the former Lagos state governor to choose them as his running mate.

While Tinubu won the primary with 1,271 votes, Lawan polled 152 votes while Yahaya Bello got 47 votes.

Our source, a former Minister in the South-Western part of the country said though Tinubu has no issues with picking a Muslim as his running mate, he flatly rejected both of them as they are direct contestants with him and they have their minds set on becoming president.

“ Yes both men (Lawan and Bello) have been making moves to be nominated as vice-presidential candidates but I can assure you that Asiwaju is not considering them at all. He met with President Buhari shortly before his trip to France and I strongly believe that must have been part of their discussions as both men have been lobbying the president to prevail on Asiwaju to consider them”.

“ Even those of who are associates of Asiwaju Tinubu are against their choice as both of them are not strong personalities that can bring the needed votes in the North” he said.

Tinubu who used Ibrahim Masari as a placeholder in his nomination form to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stated last weekend at the 60th birthday of the Speaker of the House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila that he is still in a search of a running mate.

Source: Independent