In a revealing interview, former presidential Special Adviser on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, exposed how President Bola Tinubu outsmarted his predecessor, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, in the lead-up to the 2023 presidential election. Ojudu shared his insights during a conversation on Edmund Obilo’s podcast, State Affairs, shedding light on the strategic moves that helped Tinubu secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket, ultimately leading to his victory.
Ojudu, who had been closely involved in the political landscape of the time, confessed that he saw Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s loss in the primary coming. He attributed Osinbajo’s defeat to the intricacies of the political system in place. “I kept saying in our meetings that all our efforts—traveling, convincing people, addressing delegates—were only 40 percent of the battle. The remaining 60 percent depended on Buhari’s mobilization of people around him,” Ojudu said.
Despite Ojudu’s belief that Osinbajo was on the losing side, it was clear that Buhari had not thrown his weight behind either his vice president or Tinubu. The former president failed to rally his team—his governors, aides, and key allies—in support of Osinbajo, which ultimately gave Tinubu the edge. According to Ojudu, “Buhari was a one-man majority, but he never mobilized his team to support Osinbajo,” allowing Tinubu to maneuver strategically around him.
During the 2023 APC primaries, claims of Buhari’s preference for Senate President Ahmad Lawan over Osinbajo and Tinubu circulated widely. However, the final tally told a different story. Tinubu won the primaries with a decisive 1,271 votes, while Osinbajo trailed with 235 votes, Lawan secured only 152 votes, and former Minister Rotimi Amaechi garnered 316 votes.
The narrative, as shared by Ojudu, not only highlights Tinubu’s political savvy but also underscores the tension and political dynamics that unfolded behind closed doors. It’s a tale of strategy, timing, and the crucial role of political alliances in shaping the course of Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. As the dust settles, one thing remains clear—Tinubu’s triumph was the result of outmaneuvering not just his opponents but also his supposed political ally, Buhari.