A former Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, has revealed that former President Muhammadu Buhari did not back the presidential ambitions of either Vice President Yemi Osinbajo or President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 elections.
Ojudu made this disclosure during an appearance on Edmund Obilo’s State Affairs podcast on Monday, where he claimed that Tinubu, despite his longstanding political alliance with Buhari, strategically outmaneuvered the former president to clinch the presidency.
During the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries, Tinubu emerged victorious with 1,271 votes, leaving his closest contenders, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Yemi Osinbajo, with 316 and 235 votes, respectively. Senate President Ahmed Lawan garnered 152 votes.
Reflecting on the primary, Ojudu admitted he foresaw Osinbajo’s loss due to the lack of active support from Buhari.
“I knew Osinbajo was going to lose the primary. I saw it coming because of the system we operate.
Despite our efforts in campaigning and addressing delegates, 60 percent of the decision lay in Buhari’s hands,” Ojudu explained.
He described Buhari as a “one-man majority” who failed to mobilize governors and political aides to support Osinbajo’s candidacy, a gap Tinubu reportedly exploited to secure his victory.
Ojudu, who previously served in Osinbajo’s office, described his former principal as a leader of unparalleled competence, likening his loss to the nation missing out on the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo for a second time.
“Osinbajo would have been good for this country. For me, it is like losing Awolowo again because he matched Awolowo in capacity, ability, dedication, and commitment,” he lamented.
Ojudu’s comments provide insight into the political dynamics leading to Tinubu’s emergence as Nigeria’s president. Despite Buhari’s perceived neutrality—or lack of support—Tinubu’s political strategy proved decisive.
The revelations add a layer of complexity to the narrative of Buhari’s role in shaping Nigeria’s current political leadership.
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