Former Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, has revealed that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari did not support the presidential ambition of his then Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, during the 2023 elections. Ojudu further disclosed that Buhari also refrained from backing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite their longstanding friendship and political alliance. However, he noted that Tinubu managed to “outmaneuver” the former president in critical ways.
Ojudu made these statements during an appearance on Edmund Obilo’s State Affairs podcast on Monday, where he reflected on the dynamics of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries and the implications for Nigeria’s leadership.
According to Ojudu, Osinbajo’s chances were significantly undermined by Buhari’s lack of active support, which he described as pivotal in the APC’s political structure.
“I knew Osinbajo was going to lose the primary; I saw it coming,” Ojudu said. “In the system we operated and still operate, I kept saying during our meetings that all our efforts—traveling, convincing people, and addressing delegates—accounted for only 40 percent. The remaining 60 percent rested on Buhari’s support. Unless and until Buhari mobilized people around him—governors, aides—we were going nowhere.
“I used to refer to Buhari as a one-man majority, and he never mobilized his team for Osinbajo. Tinubu, however, outsmarted him in several ways.”
Ojudu, who worked closely with Osinbajo during his tenure, expressed regret over what he described as a missed opportunity for transformative leadership. He compared the failure to elect Osinbajo to losing a second chance at the kind of visionary governance associated with the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
“I supported Osinbajo to be president because I was convinced. Having seen him up close, his philosophy, breadth of knowledge, and patriotic drive stood out. He was the best person at that time to govern Nigeria,” Ojudu remarked.
“For me, it is like losing Awolowo for a second time. Osinbajo was at Awolowo’s level in terms of capacity, ability, dedication, and commitment. He would have been good for this country.”
During the APC primary in the buildup to the 2023 elections, Bola Tinubu secured a decisive victory with 1,271 votes to clinch the party’s presidential ticket. Former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi received 316 votes, while Yemi Osinbajo garnered 235 votes, finishing third. Senate President Ahmed Lawan trailed with 152 votes.
Ojudu’s revelations provide an insider’s perspective on the high-stakes political maneuvering that shaped Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election.
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