The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has rejected the chance to pick Senate President Ahmad Lawan or Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State as his running mate.
Recall that Tinubu had defeated the duo in the presidential primary of the ruling party.
The former Lagos State Governor had submitted the name of Ibrahim Masari to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as his running mate, in what many believe to be a ‘placeholder’ capacity.
Speaking last weekend at the 60th birthday of the Speaker of the House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu had said that he is still in search of a running mate.
According to Daily Independent, Lawan and Bello have been lobbying President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail over Tinubu to pick them as his running mate.
A source told the publication that Tinubu rejected both as they are direct contestants with him.
The source, a former Minister, said: “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.”
