2023: Why Osinbajo May Not Get Buhari’s Endorsement

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has insisted he is the best to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 however, sources in the All Progressives Congress, APC said the VP may not get the needed endorsement from his principal.

After months of speculation, the VP formally revealed his intention to succeed Buhari when he hosted Governors elected under the ruling APC  on Sunday in Abuja.

Osinbajo also officially informed Nigerians of his ambition in an online broadcast this morning.

But, contrary to speculations that the former Lagos State Attorney General is the preferred candidate of Buhari, sources said the President still keeps his choice close to his chest.

Osinbajo had officially informed Buhari of his intention in February, our correspondent learnt, and expectedly the President reportedly gave him his blessing to pursue his dream but not with an assurance of support.

Sources said Buhari withheld his support because he has another candidate in mind to succeed him.

“Nigerians will be shocked when the President finally let the cat out of the bag as to who he is supporting to succeed him. Unlike what some people believe, Buhari is very interested in who will take over and continue the ‘good work’ his government has been doing.

“Buhari does not trust Osinbajo again following some of the decisions he took while he was the acting President. The cabal, headed by his President’s nephew Mamman Daura and late Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, was able to convince the President that Osinbajo was treacherous as he carried himself as someone who wished his principal did not come back from his medical trip,” a source said.

“Osinbajo wielded enormous influence at the corridors of power in the first tenure with many agencies and parastatals under his control. Even the President was always willing to transmit power to him whenever he was not around but all of that suddenly changed shortly after their reelection.

“He was first reminded of his new place in power when Buhari, through Kyari ordered him to get approval before taking critical decisions in the agencies under his control. They even took away the National Social Investment Programmes which were boosting the VP’s popularity and moved them to a newly formed ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management.

“And since then, Buhari never transmitted power to him when he travels and hasn’t trusted him with critical assignments.”

Another source said the manner with which Osinbajo removed a former Director of the Department of State Services Lawal Daura infuriated Buhari.

“It was believed in the corridors of power that Daura’s decision to authorise the invasion of the National Assembly was done in loyalty to the President whom the Bukola Saraki-led Senate was planning to impeach due to his ill-health at the time,” another source said.

“The President was said to be infuriated by the decision of the then acting President to remove the DSS boss despite his act of loyalty to him. That action was considered treacherous as Osinbajo would have been the direct beneficiary if members National Assembly had carried out their plans.

“The President almost recalled Daura but was advised against it by some close aides; he still didn’t waste time firing Mathew Saiyefa who Osinbajo appointed to bring the current DG,” another source said.

Osinbajo was also said to be behind the travails of Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal who is a close ally of the President. Lawal was indicted in a N400 million scandal but Osinbajo didn’t wait for the directives from his boss before firing Lawal.

“In the heat of the crisis, Lawal met with the acting President to state his side of the story but Osinbajo asked him to step aside to allow for a thorough investigation. Lawal was coming out of the meeting when the press confronted him about how he felt about his sacking. He was shocked that Osinbajo had already announced his removal before advising him to resign. These are people who are very close to Buhari and it was believed he did those things to erode the power base of the president whom he allegedly thought might not make it back to the government,” he said.