I MADE BUHARI PRESIDENT, OSINBAJO VP, IT'S MY TURN - TINUBU

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinu­bu, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Pro­gressives Congress (APC), said on Thursday that he was instrumental to the electoral victory of President Muham­madu Buhari in 2015 general election.

He also confirmed that he nominated Prof. Yemi Osin­bajo as Buhari’s running mate.

While saying it is his turn to become the next president, Tinubu said he agreed with Buhari not to joke with the Yorubas.

He further revealed that the presidency has been his ambition since his days in Action Congress, Action Congress of Nigeria and the APC, adding that he nomi­nated Osinbajo to be the vice president after a campaign of calumny was allegedly launched against him by the former Senate President, Bu­kola Saraki.

The former governor also said when he was asked to submit three names for run­ning mate, he pencilled down Yemi Kadoso, Wale Edun and Yemi Osinbajo.

He added that he later set­tled for Osinbajo as running mate.

“It is my time, I’m educat­ed, I’m experienced. I have been serving you for a long time, bring me the presidency, it is my turn.

“When Atiku was be­ing flogged out of PDP by Obasanjo, he ran to me for help, I let the ticket for him. Nuhu Ribadu came to me and I backed him.

“If not for me that stood be­hind Buhari he wouldn’t have become the president. He tried the first time, he failed, the second time, he failed, the third time, he failed, he even wept on a national television and vowed never to contest again but I went to meet him in Kaduna and told him he will run again, I will stand by you and you will win, but you must not joke with Yorubas and he agreed.

“Since he became the pres­ident, I have never got minis­terial slots, I didn’t collect any contract, I have never begged for anything from him, it is the turn of Yoruba, it is my turn.

“Since the time we start­ed with the Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Ni­geria (ACN) and now the All Progressives Congress (APC), I wanted to contest for presi­dent that time.

“This is me telling you between my life and God Al­mighty, Buhari called me to be his vice president. He said be­cause the first time he contest­ed, he picked Okadigbo, flam­boyant, Catholic, but Nigerians didn’t vote for him. The second time, he picked another Igbo, Umezuruike, Nigerians didn’t vote for him, that if he goes to bring the Pope to run as his vice, Nigerians won’t vote for him, but you Bola Tinubu, you have six governors, you have never lost an election before, come and be my vice.

“He knew all the calcula­tions then favoured us, that is why he wanted me as his vice, but I told him to let us build the party first.

“And when we finished building the party, after we brought in people from the PDP, Saraki now saw those from the PDP will not get anything if Buhari, a Muslim, becomes the president and me, also a Muslim becomes his vice, he won’t get the Senate President and the Senate President can­not also be a Muslim, that was how they started the campaign of calumny against me.

“And I told them that I have a candidate that is a Christian that I can nominate so that the party will not break, that was how I nominated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. I surrendered my right to him (Osinbajo).”

He also took a swipe at Gov­ernor Dapo Abiodun, saying he wouldn’t have become a governor without his support.

“It has been over 25 years now that I have been serving them. This one sitting behind me, Dapo, can he say he can be the governor without me?

“We were together at the MKO Abiola Stadium, he was intimated, they didn’t want to give the party’s flag, I was the one that handed the flag to him. He knows that he cannot be the governor without the help of God and my support.”