2023: Tinubu picks running mate, to brief Buhari

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has settled for a Muslim running mate, NAN reports.

A highly-competent source in the Tinubu Campaign Organisation, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the former Lagos State Governor would make the name of the candidate public this week.

This comes amid widespread debates over the religious backgrounds of presidential candidates and their running mates.

The two major political parties — APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — have Muslim presidential candidates. Many stakeholders, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), have demanded their running mates be Christians.

While the PDP flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, selected Ifeanyi Okowa — a Christian — as his running mate, there are speculations that Tinubu will opt for a fellow Muslim as his VP pick.

“The vice-presidential nominee may most likely be a former governor and senator from the Northeast part of Nigeria.

“The person is also by accident of birth a Muslim, confirming what Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State said on Saturday that Tinubu had settled for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“The considerations given for the choice of a running mate were dictated by the need to choose an individual capable of working with the presidential candidate to take Nigeria to greater heights,” the source said.

Tinubu is scheduled to pay Sallah homage to President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina, on Sunday to brief him on his chosen running mate.

He earlier chose Ibrahim Kabiru Masari as a placeholder for the vice-presidential slot.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had given July 15 as the deadline for presidential and National Assembly candidates to withdraw from the race in line with Section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2022.