The presidential candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Labour Party have submitted names of surrogate vice-presidential candidates, to beat the deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Tinubu submitted his forms personally to INEC on Wednesday, with the name of his “holding” running mate given as Alhaji Ibrahim Kabiru Masari, who is said to be a chieftain of the APC in Katsina State.
Tinubu’s spokesman confirmed this development in a statement on Friday.
“We wish to reiterate that HE Asíwájú Tinubu now stands ready to contest the February 25, 2023 presidential election to deliver progressive good governance to our people,” he said.
“Asiwaju completed the forms and signed. He had to return it himself. His running mate will be announced later,” he said.
However, Director of Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed to the Vanguard newspaper that Masari was the name submitted to the INEC.
“Yes, he is Ibrahim Masari. He once worked as a member of the National Working Committee when Adams Oshimhole was in charge of the APC excos,” he told the newspaper.
“He is not really a surrogate per se. He is just holding forth. The electoral act stipulates that candidates have the window period to substitute up till sometime in August.
“Asiwaju will use that time to continue consulting with the party, governors, and the president. He is taking his time and doesn’t want to rush it,” he said.
When asked why it is taking too long to get a competent and sellable candidate for the post of vice president, Onanuga said that the APC flagbearer believes in due process.
“He just wants to carry everybody along. Even the elections will take place in 2023 and the campaign wouldn’t start until September. The window period is still long. There is no need to rush anything about it.
“I think we have fulfilled our own part by submitting the name as required before the window of INEC deadline closes,” he said.
On his part, Obi has also submitted his forms to the election umpire, with his running mate given as Doyin Okupe, who is currently his campaign director.
I’m standing in as the vice-presidential candidate of the party,” Okupe said on Friday when he appeared o Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today.
Okupe, a former spokesman for President Olusegun Obasanjo, declared that his name had been submitted to INEC.
