APC Chieftain says there's no agreement between Buhari and Tinubu over 2023 presidency

Osita Okechukwu, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) says President Muhammadu Buhari did not reach an agreement with the party’s national leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the 2023 presidency.

The pioneer national chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Senator Rufai Hanga had recently said there was an implied agreement that Tinubu would succeed President Buhari in 2023.

Hanga added that Tinubu remained a member of the ruling party after the end of President Buhari’s first tenure because of the agreement.

But Okechukwu, while addressing journalists on Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Abuja said there was no such agreement, adding that President Buhari rarely goes into an agreement with people.

He said Tinubu, who is also a Muslim like Buhari could have been the Vice President but the leadership of the party was against presenting two Muslim candidates in the 2015 presidential election.

“As a member of the defunct CPC, I never heard of such an agreement and most importantly, Mr. President will not want to or better put rarely enters into any formal or informal agreement with anybody. But he appreciates good deeds.

“All I know is that Asiwaju automatically could have been the Vice President if not for what lawyers will call force majeure.

“For our leadership warned against Muslim/Muslim ticket.

“Our leadership then argued that the Abiola/Kingibe Muslim/Muslim ticket which worked in 1993 may not work in 2015, if Buhari/Tinubu both Muslims were to run, as the scenario differs. That was how Asiwaju nominated Professor Yemi Osinbajo, GCON as a replacement.”

He, however, said that Tinubu would be among the top aspirants to be considered by the ruling party as presidential candidate in 2023, "due to his immense contribution to the success of our great party in 2015."