The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu has submitted the name of Kabir Ibrahim Masari, as his running mate to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The submission of Masari’s name is part of the move to beat the Friday June 17 deadline given by INEC to political parties to submit the names of presidential candidates and their running mates.
However, there are indications that Masari, who hails from the home State of President Muhammadu Buhari, could be a mere placeholder pending the time the party agrees on who to run alongside Tinubu. .
Sources who are privy to the development confirmed that Tinubu has indeed submitted the name of his running mate, but added that “consultation is still ongoing”
However, Tinubu will today meet President Muhammadu Buhari as consultation continues on the issue of his running mate, DAILY POST reports.
There have been vehement opposition to the idea of Muslim-Muslim ticket been contemplated 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.
A source in the Tinubu’s camp disclosed that all the northern governors want the position.
The source added that if Tinubu had his way, he would have gone for the former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima as his running-mate, but he wanted the president and the governors to have a say in who becomes the vice president.
“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.” Daily Post quoted the source to have said.
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.