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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has decided on his choice of running mate.
A reliable source in the Tinubu Campaign Organisation who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja, on Sunday.
The source said Tinubu would make the name of the candidate public this week.
“The vice-presidential nominee may most likely be a former governor and senator from the North East part of Nigeria.
“The person is also by accident of birth a Muslim, confirming what Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State said on Saturday that Tinubu had settled for a Muslim-Muslim ticket,’’ the medium quoted the source to have said.
The source added that in picking the running mate, Tinubu was not thinking about religion, but about competence, exposure and intellectual depth of the candidate.
“The considerations given for the choice of a running mate were dictated by the need to choose an individual capable of working with the presidential candidate to take Nigeria to greater heights,’’ the source said.
Tinubu is scheduled to pay Sallah homage to the President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State, on Sunday, to brief him on his chosen running mate.
The former two-term Lagos State Governor won APC’s presidential ticket at the party’s June 8 special national convention and presidential primary election.
He had earlier chose Ibrahim Kabiru Masari as placeholder for the vice presidential slot.
Tinubu was away in France on a short vacation during which he held some strategic meetings. He returned to Nigeria on Saturday early enough for Sallah festivities.