VICE President Yemi Osinbajo has said he received the news of his nomination as Vice President from the former Governor of Osun State and current Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola.
The vice president said Aregbesola broke the news to him on December 18, 2014.
Osinbajo made the revelation when he hosted members of the State House Press Corps to a breaking of fast (Iftar) at his Aguda Residence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
He said the news of his emergence as the running mate of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Muhammadu Buhari in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election came to him as a surprise.
“I was working on the case at Peniel Apartments in Abuja on December 18, 2014, when at about 1:00 am in the morning, I received a call from Rauf Aregbesola that they were coming to Lagos to pick me” he said.
“I said I was in Abuja. He said ‘good because you have been nominated as the vice-presidential candidate’ and I said “Is that how you nominate people?”
Osinbajo said Aregbesola and former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun came later to take him to Buhari.
He said he was telling his story to the journalists to let them know that an individual’s life could change at any minute.
Osinbajo said he has always believed in and worked for a better Nigeria all his life.
He noted that his decision to contest the 2023 presidential election was to enable him make a difference in the country.
According to him, very few people have the kind of training and experience he has.
He added that before and after his declaration, he met with various groups including governors, delegates and party leaders.
Osinbajo would contest the APC presidential ticket with other aspirants including former Lagos State governor Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of Tranportation Chibuike Amaechi, Ebonyi State governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Cross River State governor Ben Ayade, Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, businessman Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a former governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha, and Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige.
It is widely believed that Tinubu influenced Osinbajo’s selection as Buhari’s running mate.
Osinbajo’s decision to contest the presidential election against Tinubu has been tagged an act of betrayal by Tinubu’s supporters.
But the vice president recently explained that it would have been a great betrayal and injustice if he did not contest the presidential election in order to succeed Buhari.
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