2023 Elections: I am still searching for running mate, Tinubu reveals

The Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the forthcoming general elections, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said that he was still searching for a running mate.

It should be recalled that he had submitted the name of Alhaji Kabir Ibrahim Masari, a Katsina politician to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to beat the deadline given by the electoral umpire.

However, recent events had shown that the name was a placeholder for the real running mate.

During a presentation of the book “Mr Speaker”and unveiling of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative to mark the 60 birthday of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila in Abuja, Tinubu who applauded the healthy relationship the Speaker shared with his deputy, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase said he was still searching.

He said:

“As a Minority Leader, he consulted widely then and he’s always there to see the thinking of opposition that we must bring a revolution to the house to be able to beat the PDP.

“And then, he will brainstorm for any length of time that you want a lecture about political strategy.

“When we needed to challenge for the position of the speaker, I think after our merger, he worked me tirelessly, Femi is a workaholic. The problem of failure stared him at the face. He lost the election to become the Speaker.

“I was close to tears, standing my foot to the ground. We will win again. Femi, keep on picking yourself up. I am very proud of you that you did. You didn’t give up. You did the opposition and the support job. You demonstrated what we learnt from the textbooks, and other authors.

“That life is not about education of one section of the society. Remember what we discussed about paying the WAEC fee of Omo Iya oniboli (the Son of the Woman who roasts plantain), and my Mum was alive then, asking me to see to it each time I have her money. It doesn’t last.

“And I said whatever you do with the money, I don’t know. Mama will say no, those women there they are mothers. They want to pay WAEC fees. And Femi was one of the first I consulted. Are we going to say that the children of the poor are not deserving becoming Governors, Doctors and Engineers? I said I was afraid. He said do it. So that is how a junior brother can inspire a senior leader.

“Femi with your determination and reach, you are a contributor to our democratic growth, thank you. You have character. You are a great mentor and you are doing a good job charting a path to success. You’ve done a good job and I say thank you, thank you.

“What you did during my primary (Presidential election) is a story for another day. I’ve spent more time, too many times and people might be bored, they might be envious too. They might be jealous. I won landslide. I thank you.

“I could see a Deputy (Wase) sitting down there too. You are a very good symbol of unity, dependability, and honesty. Thank you. Thank you for both of you. You’ve not rocked the boat. I will need to learn from both of you how you made the pair work because I’m still searching for my running mate”.