…Says “Let’s wait for his speech in January”
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, (SAN), has opened the lid on the rumours about a possible presidential bid by the leader of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Bola Tinubu, in the 2023 elections.
Fashola stated this during an interview on a television programme, which was aired on Friday.
According to Fashola, Nigerians will have to be patient until 2022 before the APC leader makes an official pronouncement on his ambition.
When he was asked if he would support the candidacy of the National Leader of the APC in the 2023 election, Fashola said Tinubu has not informed him he is running in 2023.
The Minister also explained that he just went to check on the well-being of Tinubu, saying, “I didn’t ask him, I only went to see how well he was doing. He has issued a statement that I will speak in January, so let’s wait for his speech”.
On whether he is speaking for any aspirant come 2023, Fashola explained that, “As far as I am aware, nobody has said ‘I want to be Nigeria’s President’; there are people speaking for other people. Nobody has come out. We are not at that stage yet“.
Of recent, posters and billboards advertising the rumoured presidential bid of Tinubu who was Lagos governor from May 1999 to May 2007 have been seen in major cities, including Lagos and Abuja.
Though the Asiwaju has yet to declare his intention to contest any office in 2023, there have been reports and veiled indications that he might be interested in the exalted seat.
Recall that the South-West Agenda 2023, a political movement mobilising support for Tinubu to contest the 2023 presidential election, was inaugurated in Lagos in October by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other party chieftains.
Tinubu, who celebrated his 69th birthday in March 2021 and command an arguably large following of political loyalists, has been reported to nurse presidential ambition in 2023, even as political debates get intense for a Southern President after the eight-year rule of the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari, who is from Katsina State, North-West geo-political zone.
Some groups and persons have also said aside from Tinubu, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; and Fashola are equally capable to be Nigeria’s President.
