Buhari offered to back Osinbajo’s presidential bid four times — Akande fires back at Lawal

Former presidential spokesperson Laolu Akande has revealed that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari offered to support former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s presidential ambition on at least four occasions.

According to Vanguard, Akande disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, October 17, dismissing claims by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.

Lawal had alleged that Buhari considered Osinbajo’s 2023 presidential ambition “highly immoral and distasteful” because of his longstanding relationship with Bola Tinubu.

However, Akande insisted that Buhari personally encouraged Osinbajo, repeatedly asking, “If I don’t support you, who will I support?”

He recalled Buhari publicly praising Osinbajo’s campaign during a Federal Executive Council meeting in 2022.

“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.”