Ahead of INEC’s (Independent National Electoral Commission) deadline for the submission of presidential candidates and running mates, the APC standard-bearer Bola Tinubu, has named Kabiru Masari as his running mate, while Doyin Okupe has declared himself as the running mate of the Labour Party’s candidate, Peter Obi.
However, what is immediately clear is that both vice presidential picks are placeholders–which means they are standing-in or temporary arrangements, pending when substantive picks are made by both political parties.
Their names had to be submitted to beat INEC’s deadline. INEC allows names of running mates to be substituted much later during the electioneering campaigns.
Ogun State born Okupe, who served as Special Assistant to former President Obasanjo (Media & Publicity) and Senior Special Assistant to former President Jonathan (Public Affairs), has confirmed as much, saying he could be substituted after Labour Party has finished putting together the coalition that will give the giant political parties of APC and PDP, a run for their money.
“Dear supporters of Peter obi, and all OBIdient members of the Obi movement, I had to take the VP slot to meet up with the INEC deadline and not to prejudice the status of the emerging grand coalition we are putting together. Shortly when the 3rd force is done, new arrangement will be substituted,” Okupe has announced in a tweet.
For the APC, Kabiru Faskari, a chieftain of the party in Katsina, said: “Ibrahim Kabiru Masari is our vice-presidential nominee. He was the welfare secretary of the APC under Oshiomhole. He is a well-known politician. His name has been submitted.
“He qualifies as veteran in terms of politics because he joined politics from the onset. He began as a member of the PDP. He is young. He represents the youths and grounded in politics because he was even a national official of the APC and he is quite close to the presidential candidate.
“He has been with him for a very long time. I believe it is a very informed decision to put out his name.”
Recall that INEC had earlier said there won’t be extension for today’s (Friday) deadline submission of presidential candidates and running mates.