Former Presidential Aide Clarifies Whether Buhari Supported Osinbajo against Tinubu or Not
- Former presidential aide Babafemi Ojudu said Muhammadu Buhari repeatedly assured Yemi Osinbajo of support during the 2022 APC primary period
- Ojudu rejected claims that Osinbajo lacked Buhari’s backing and described such narratives as misleading and historically inaccurate
- He disclosed that Buhari affirmed Osinbajo’s ambition both privately and publicly, including during Federal Executive Council meetings
Babafemi Ojudu, a former presidential aide, has said that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari repeatedly gave clear backing to the presidential ambition of his then deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, ahead of the All Progressives Congress primary in 2022.
He described claims suggesting otherwise as misleading and inconsistent with events he personally witnessed.
Source: Facebook
Ojudu, who served in the Office of the Vice President between 2016 and 2022, made the clarification in a statement responding to assertions contained in a recent book by Charles Omole titled Muhammadu Buhari: From Soldier to Statesman.
The book referenced internal succession tensions within the Buhari administration.
Ojudu recounts private assurances
According to Ojudu, the question of Osinbajo’s presidential ambition was discussed directly between both men on several occasions. He said he was present for at least four such conversations and insisted that Buhari’s position was consistent each time.
“The matter of whether Vice President Osinbajo should run for President was discussed directly and personally between him and President Muhammadu Buhari on no fewer than four separate occasions. On each of these occasions, President Buhari expressed clear, unequivocal support for the Vice President’s ambition,” he said.
Ojudu added that at no point did Buhari advise Osinbajo to withdraw or defer his ambition in favour of another aspirant. He dismissed narratives suggesting pressure from the presidency as historically inaccurate.
Context of the APC contest
Osinbajo entered the 2023 presidential race as a continuity candidate, banking on his experience in government and national exposure after nearly eight years as vice president.
His decision placed him in direct competition with Bola Tinubu, now president, who was widely seen as the political architect of the Buhari-Osinbajo ticket in 2015.
The contest sharpened divisions within the party. Tinubu relied on an extensive political structure built over decades, while Osinbajo drew support from his technocratic profile and perceived goodwill within the presidency.
At the APC primary held in Abuja in June 2022, Osinbajo finished third behind Tinubu and Rotimi Amaechi.
Source: Twitter
Support before and during declaration
Ojudu said Buhari’s support was not limited to private conversations. He recalled that the former president publicly acknowledged Osinbajo’s nationwide consultations during a Federal Executive Council meeting and advised him to engage governors and National Assembly leaders before declaring.
“President Buhari reiterated more than once that he believed Vice President Osinbajo’s candidature was best for continuity and stability, and he assured him that he would do all he reasonably could to support him,” Ojudu said.
He also disclosed that Buhari reviewed Osinbajo’s declaration speech and affirmed his backing during meetings with governors who visited him to discuss the vice president’s ambition.
Ojudu concluded that it was implausible to suggest Osinbajo would have pursued the presidency without Buhari’s consent. He criticised accounts that failed to consult key actors, saying history should reflect verifiable truth rather than personal grievance.
Is it true that Buhari was poisoned
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Aisha Buhari, wife of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, had finally dispelled the rumour that someone poisoned the former president while in office, leading to his 154 days of medical leave outside the country in 2017.
The ex-first lady maintained that the health challenges of her husband began with a broken routine, and his nutrition was mismanaged.
Source: Legit.ng
