Babafemi Ojudu, special adviser to the president on political matters, says an alleged attempt to pit Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo against Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), will fail.
Ojudu said this in reaction to a television programme and a report where groups said to be supporting Tinubu and Osinbajo were pitted against each other over the 2023 presidency.
In a statement on Monday, the special adviser said neither the vice-president nor his office will endorse “this kind of a divisive engagement and news reports”.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are members of the same party,” the former senator said.
“Osinbajo regards Tinubu as a respected leader of a political family to which he belongs and will therefore not for any reason endorse an endeavor that seeks to pitch them against each other.
“We are not unaware of some people who may want to foist a crack among our leaders. Such an attempt is abortive. Osinbajo and Tinubu relationship dates way back and it shall continue to wax strong.
“Let me therefore call on individuals and media houses engaged in this act to desist from doing so. The APC remains one single, indivisible party and Osinbajo remains a loyal member of the party who respects both the party structure as well as its leadership.
“Moreover, the INEC has not given a go ahead yet for politicking towards 2023. As a law abiding citizen, Osinbajo will not commence any act in this regard until INEC blows the whistle, and in any case the VP has not indicated interest in the 2023 elections.”
The presidential aide pleaded with the support groups not to create needless controversy.
