APC 2023: Northern governors set to pick Tinubu’s running mate as race for Osinbajo’s replacement begins

Following the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the 2023 presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the race for the nomination of his running mate has begun with the Northern governors at the forefront.

The presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar had on Wednesday met with PDP governors to determine his running mate immediately after APC concluded on Tinubu.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would however also swing into quick action to determine his running mate by meeting the Northern governors, this is according to the spokesman for the Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Mr Bayo Onanuga.

According to reports, it was gathered that Tinubu would meet party leaders, including the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, before the end of the week to discuss the matter.

The Northern governors under the platform of APC played an important role in the emergence of Asiwaju Tinubu as the party’s candidate having insisted on a power shift to the South despite the national chairman’s endorsement of the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, from the North-East, as the party’s consensus candidate.

Tinubu, in his acceptance speech after his victory, however, said those who did not support him should not be afraid.

There were also indications on Wednesday that both Tinubu and Atiku had started searching for their running mates ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s June 17 deadline for parties to submit their candidates’ lists.

In an interview with PUNCH, Onanuga that Tinubu already had an arrangement with the APC governors that if he emerged the candidate of the party, the governors would decide the person to pick.

According to him, Tinubu prefers a collective responsibility than doing it on his own.

The spokesman stated, “The Vice-President can come from any region and religion. But the PGF is at liberty to pick. Up till now, we are all aware that Atiku has not chosen a VP. Yet, he was elected before him. But in our own case, it is a party affair.

"The party leaders will look at the chances and decide how they will balance a Muslim from the South, maybe with somebody that comes from North-East, North-Central or from North-West. That is how it is done. I cannot circumvent the party. The Governor Atiku Bagudu-led PGF has the task to pick a competent deputy for him,” he said.

Asked when Tinubu might  likely meet with the  governors, Onanuga stressed that though a date had not been chosen, it would not take long.

“Already, he has a cordial relationship with virtually all of them. You will also have to understand that he has just picked the presidential ticket. I am also sure that this issue of picking the right candidate for VP will be in the minds of the party leadership and the APC governors too.

“At this moment, we just want to pause and take a rest from the stress of the just-concluded campaign.”

An aide of the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, who also spoke with PUNCH said that the presidential candidate would meet with northern governors in Abuja before the weekend.

The aide said, “The issue of the vice-presidential candidate has been settled even before the presidential primary. From all indications, things are moving according to plans while the elders from the North-West had suggested one of the popular and loyal  party members as his deputy.”