Barring any last minute change of plan, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will today declare his decision to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
A source in the Presidency hinted that all was set for Osinbajo’s declaration.
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Last night, the vice president hosted some APC governors to iftar dinner meeting at his official residence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The source said Osinbajo consulted the governors ahead of the public declaration of his presidential ambition.
“He is also discussing his plans with the governors and continuing the consultations with more governors and other critical stakeholders in the National Assembly and others.
“Being the chairman of National Economic Council in the last seven years, he had an excellent relationship with governors across party lines, ethnicities and religion.
“Many of the governors are also members or directors of some federal agencies where the VP is chairman and their relationships in these agencies have also deepened the bonds, producing a robust relationship,” said the source.
Another source said the vice president had delayed his declaration because of his strategic position in government.
“There’s no way he can just declare without doing his strong homework. Now, he has done the strong homework,” he said.
Those present at the meeting included Governors Nasir El-Rufa’i, Kaduna; Dapo Abiodun, Ogun; Hope Uzodinma, Imo; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos
Daily Trust had exclusively reported on March 14 that the vice president had notified President Muhammadu Buhari of his presidential ambition.
Among those who had declared their interest in the presidential election on the platform of the APC are a former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu; Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi; a former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi,