₦airaland Forum

A former spokesperson to ex-Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande has dismissed claims by Babachir Lawal that former President Muhammadu Buhari considered Osinbajo’s 2023 presidential ambition “highly immoral and distasteful”.

Akande, who served as Osinbajo’s spokesperson from 2015 to 2023, described the allegation as false in a statement on Saturday, saying Buhari had personally offered to support the former vice-president’s ambition on at least four occasions.

Osinbajo contested the All Progressives Congress presidential primary in 2022 but lost to Bola Tinubu, who went on to win the 2023 presidential election.

Lawal, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, ADC, and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, had alleged in a recent interview that Buhari would have found it difficult to support Osinbajo’s ambition because of his longstanding relationship with Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor.

Reacting, Akande said he had watched the interview in which Lawal made allegations against Osinbajo and chose to respond because he was present when decisions concerning the former vice-president’s office were taken.

He said Buhari had, on at least four separate occasions, personally offered to support Osinbajo, asking him, “If I don’t support you, who will I support?”

“He was consistent. During the APC presidential primaries in 2022, while campaigns were underway, President Buhari openly commended Vice President Osinbajo at a Federal Executive Council meeting for the dignified, issues-based manner in which he was conducting his campaign across the country. He spoke in a laudatory tone. The entire Council witnessed it.”

“That is not a President who found Osinbajo’s ambition distasteful. That is a President who broached it, encouraged and applauded it,” Akande added.

Osinbajo contested the APC presidential primary in June 2022, finishing third with 235 votes, behind now president Bola Tinubu, who won with 1,271 votes, and Rotimi Amaechi, who scored 316.

IamPatriotic:
Cheap liar! Not only 4 times, but “40 times before the cock crows.” I thought they said Laolu Akande is a pastor in RCCG. Why does he have to continue lying, even after leaving his job as a spokesperson for a politician, where lies are normal as part of the job of a great spokesperson?

IamPatriotic:
Cheap liar! Not only 4 times, but “40 times before the cock crows.” I thought they said Laolu Akande is a pastor in RCCG. Why does he have to continue lying, even after leaving his job as a spokesperson for a politician, where lies are normal as part of the job of a great spokesperson?

GenFunction:
There was an agreement on ground,Buhari couldn’t have done that,maybe he whined them.

Nwaikpe:
When Goodluck was in power, South South boys became the gargantuan of political analysis.

When Buhari was in power, Northern boys became the gargantuan of political analysis.

Now, Tinubu is in power, South West boys have become the gargantuan of political analysis.

🤣🤣🤣

LordIsaac:
I see...so why didn't he in the end?

toffyz:
Buhari supported OSINBAJO 10000% in the primary election.

If you all are very observant you could see the reaction of his wife( Aisha Buhari) on the night of that pry election in Abuja...as a woman her emotions got better of her, she obviously shown the support for him. I saw that APC convention live on that night.

Also, I'm super sure without Buhari's support and go ahead, Osinbajo dare not contest for the pry.

IamPatriotic:
Cheap liar! Not only 4 times, but “40 times before the cock crows.” I thought they said Laolu Akande is a pastor in RCCG. Why does he have to continue lying, even after leaving his job as a spokesperson for a politician, where lies are normal as part of the job of a great spokesperson?

Nemesis0147:
The only luck Tinubu had was Buhari deciding to conduct a free and fair election and na we come dy suffer am now

Gotocourt:
It's believed if late COS Abba Kyari was alive, Tinubu won't have clinched the party ticket.

Afrojuju2017:
Buhari failed to do the needful which was to approach Tinubu frontally and tell him in plain words I am supporting Osinbajo and I want you to drop your ambition and support him with me, if he can conceive him to continue as a godfather that would have done the deal.

Rather he stayed aloof and allowed the likes of senate President and all manner of actors to enter the fray making it essential for Tinubu to defend the progressive agenda

zoghys:
I guess you were there as well to know better than, Mr Laolu

Gotocourt:
It's believed if late COS Abba Kyari was alive, Tinubu won't have clinched the party ticket.