A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress and ex-Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, has revealed that he personally nominated Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as the running mate to the late former President, Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the 2015 general election.
Akande said the decision followed consultations with President Bola Tinubu in 2011, contrary to widespread public belief that Tinubu single-handedly picked Osinbajo as Buhari’s vice-presidential candidate.
The APC chieftain made the disclosure while speaking on State Affairs, a podcast hosted by Edmund Obilo, where he shed light on the behind-the-scenes political calculations that shaped the Buhari-Osinbajo ticket.
According to Akande, discussions were ongoing at the time to replace Buhari’s former running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare, with another candidate who would strengthen the political coalition that later birthed the APC.
“I nominated Osinbajo for Vice President after consulting with Tinubu,” Akande said. “I said it the way it is in my book. I told Tinubu: in 2011, when you were discussing with Buhari about replacing Bakare, who was the person you had in mind?”
He recalled that Tinubu mentioned Osinbajo during the conversation, adding that he then formally recommended the former Lagos State Attorney-General for the role.
“He said Osinbajo, and I told him I was going to recommend Osinbajo, which I did,” Akande stated.
The revelation has reignited debate over the political dynamics that produced the Buhari-Osinbajo presidency, particularly amid lingering narratives around power brokerage within the ruling party and Tinubu’s influence in national politics.
Osinbajo went on to serve two terms as Vice President from 2015 to 2023, playing a prominent role in the Buhari administration and later contesting the APC presidential primaries ahead of the 2023 election.
Akande’s account offers a rare insider perspective into the negotiations and consultations that preceded one of the most consequential political pairings in Nigeria’s recent democratic history.
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