Nigerians should have voted for Yemi Osinbajo as president – Sanusi

By Jacob Kubeka (ABUJA) –

With less than 30 days to the inauguration of the next democratic government in Nigeria, the immediate past Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has maintained Africa’s most populous nation lost a great opportunity for failing to elect Professor Yemi Osinbajo as President.

Osinbajo, who is the incumbent vice President, was among the contestants for the presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He lost the ticket to his former boss, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was eventually declared winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which result is being challenged at the election tribunal by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

Sanusi, a one-time Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), made the remark at a virtual book launch titled, “Osinbajo Strides: Defining Moments of an Innovative Leader,” on Monday, according the Punch Newspaper.

He regretted that Nigeria lost for not having Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as the country’s President.

This is even as some Nigerians, particularly the supporters of Bola Tinubu, had criticised Professor Osinbajo, for contesting the APC presidential ticket against Tinubu, who is widely believed to have nominated him to be running mate to President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 and 2019 elections in Nigeria.

According to the Punch, Sanusi noted that Osinbajo was one of those in the present administration ready to deliberate on developmental matters.

He said, “And I dare say, we all agree that Nigeria is worse off for not having someone like him (Osinbajo) as president, but I do hope that he will be available to serve and to advise and to put in his best for the country and continue to do.

“So, I’m sure he will, in whatever capacity he finds himself in the future, and maybe, we’ll still be lucky to have him lead us at some point or take some leadership role as a statesman.”