The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said he is still searching for his running mate ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
He disclosed this while speaking at an event held to mark the 60th birthday celebration of the Speaker of the House of Representative, Femi Gbajambiamila in Abuja on Sunday.
Tinubu, while commending the unity between the Speaker and his deputy, Idris Wase, said politicians need to learn how the duo have maintained a stable relationship since they started their reign.
“You are a very good symbol of unity and honesty.
“Thank you for both of you; you have not rocked the boat and we need to learn from both of you how you made the pair work because I’m still searching for my running mate”.
Tinubu’s assertion is coming after the APC submitted the name of Kabiru Masari to the Independent National Electoral commission as a running mate to the former Lagos state Governor.
However, there have been a massive outcry against a Muslim-Muslim ticket which some major stakeholders believe is the only way the APC can secure a victory in the 2023 Presidential election.
Earlier, Tinubu praised Gbajabiamila for the role he played in his emergence as the presidential flag bearer of the APC.
He said he discovered Gbajabiamila as a potential politician even though the Speaker was reluctant at first.
Tinubu said despite Gbajabiamila’s initial hesitation, he encouraged him to get involved.
He said he encouraged the Speaker to always do what the people wanted.
Showering encomiums on the Speaker, he said: “As a Minority Leader, he consulted wide and he’s always there to see the thinking of opposition that we must bring a revolution to the House to be able to beat the PDP. And then, he will brainstorm for any length of time about political strategy.
“When he was challenged for the position of the speaker, I think after our merger he worked with me tirelessly. Femi is a workaholic. The problem of failure stared him at the face. He lost the election to become the Speaker.
“I was close to tears. Stamping my foot to the ground I said ‘we will win again. Femi keep up. Pick yourself up.’ I am very proud of you that you did, you didn’t give up. You did the opposition and the support job. You demonstrated what we learnt from textbooks and other authors.
“That life is not about education of one section of the society. Remember what we discussed about paying the WAEC fee of omo iya oniboli (the Son of the Woman who roasts plantain), and my Mum was alive then, asking me to see to it each time I gave her money, it doesn’t last.
“And I said whatever you do with the money I don’t know. Mama will say no, those women there they are Mothers, they want to pay WAEC fees. And Femi was one of the first set of people I consulted. Are we going to say that the children of the poor are not deserving becoming Governors, Doctors and Engineers? I said I was afraid. He said do it. So that is how a junior brother can inspire a senior leader.
“Femi with your determination, grit, you are a contributor to our democratic growth, thank you. You have character. You are a great mentor and you are doing a good job charting a path to success. You’ve done a good job and I say thank you, thank you.
“What you did during my primary is a story for another day. I’ve spent more time, too many times and people might be bored, they might be envious too, they might be jealous. I won landslide, I thank you.
