INEC Deadline: Tinubu selects Masari as his running mate

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu has submitted the name of Kabir Ibrahim Masari as part of a plan to beat the INEC deadline of Friday, June 17 for political parties to submit the names of presidential candidates and their running mates. 

Masari’s name, who originates from President Muhammadu Buhari’s native state of Kaduna, is to alter when the party’s stakeholders have settled on a viable vice-presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.  

A party source confirmed that it was true that Tinubu has submitted the name of his running mate, but added that “consultation is still ongoing” 

It was further gathered that the move by Tinubu and the ruling party was to meet the statutory requirement and beat the deadline set by the electoral umpire. 

However, Tinubu will today meet President Muhammadu Buhari as consultation continues on the issue of his running mate. 

There is also strong opposition against the issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket been mulled by the ruling party. 

Though some names had been mentioned as possible running-mates to the former Lagos State governor, it was gathered that no compromise had been reached yet. 

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A source in Tinubu’s camp said that all the northern governors want the position. 

The source added that if Tinubu has his way, he would have loved to pick the former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima as his running-mate, but he wanted the president and the governors to pick. 

The source said: “All northern governors want it. If Asiwaju has his way, it will be Senator Kashim. But he wants the president and governors to pick for him.” 

Asked why Tinubu does not want to pick his running mate himself, the source stressed he didn’t want to be a ‘winner takes it all.’ 

“He does not want to be the winner takes it all. You need to respect the President. PMB did not choose a VP for himself in 2015,” the source said. 

One of the leaders of Tinubu Support Group, Hon. James Faleke was at the party secretariat yesterday, but his mission not known. 

But the source confirmed that Faleke was at the party secretariat yesterday to collect INEC’s form for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates to fill. 

Asked if Faleke was there to submit the name of the running mate to Tinubu, the source insisted that no compromise reached in the issue of running mate.