2023: Masari Is My Running Mate Not Placeholder – Tinubu

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, says Kabiru Masari is his running mate for the 2023 elections.

Tinubu said the name of his running mate had been duly submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as required by the law.

He was reacting to remarks by INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, that the idea of placeholder was alien to the Nigerian constitution.

Following his emergence as APC presidential candidate, Tinubu had picked Kabiru Masari as his running mate.

But, there are speculations that Masari was a placeholder to allow APC meet INEC’s deadline for the submission of names picked for the role of running mate.

However, speaking through his Media Aide, Tunde Rahman, Tinubu dismissed claims of Masari being a placeholder.

”Without taking issues with the INEC’s National Commissioner, I just like to state the situation as it relates to the presidential candidate of the APC, Asíwájú Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“And it is that Asíwájú Tinubu has duly completed his nomination forms, including giving the particulars of his running mate. He has returned the completed nomination forms to INEC. He even returned the forms two days ahead of schedule.

“I don’t know about a placeholder. This is the coinage of the media. I know he has picked a running mate,” he told Tribune.