Tinubu tasks APC governors with picking his running mate as Inec deadline looms

FORMER Lagos State governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is to meet with the All Progressive Congress's (APC) incumbent governors over the next 24 hours and task them with the assignment of picking his running mate as the deadline for submission looms.

Yesterday morning, Asiwaju Tinubu emerged as the APC's presidential candidate after a coasting home in a landslide victory following the party's convention in Abuja. However, under the electoral timetable published by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (Inec), all parties must submit the names of their presidential candidates and running mates by June 10.

With time not on his side, Asiwaju Tinubu has asked the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), to go ahead and pick a running mate for him. I the run-up to the APC convention, the APC governors of northern extraction had asked that one of their members be selected as the party's running mate with the presidential ticket going to the south.

Asiwaju Tinubu has said that his running mate would be a northern Christian, indicating that he is likely to opt for Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State. Currently the chairman of the Northern State Governors Forum, Governor Lalong is the only Christian among the current APC northern governors.

Bayo Onanuga, a spokesman for the Tinubu Campaign Organisation, said stated that Asiwaju Tinubu already had an arrangement with the APC governors that if he emerged the candidate of the party, the governors would decide the person to pick. He added that Asiwaju Tinubu prefers a collective responsibility than doing it on his own.

Mr Onanuga, said: “The vice president can come from any region and religion but the PGF is at liberty to pick. Up till now, we are all aware that Atiku has not chosen a vice president yet, he was elected before him but in our own case, it is a party affair.

“The party leaders will look at the chances and decide how they will balance a Muslim from the south, maybe with somebody that comes from northeast, north-central or from the northwest. That is how it is done. I cannot circumvent the party. The Governor Atiku Bagudu-led PGF has the task to pick a competent deputy for him."

An aide of the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, added:  “The issue of the vice presidential candidate has been settled even before the presidential primary. From all indications, things are moving according to plans while the elders from the northwest had suggested one of the popular and loyal  party members as his deputy.”

Hon Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, said the running mate to might come from the northeast geopolitical zone. He added that this is based on the current zoning arrangement of the APC.