Election 2023: Tinubu Picks Ibrahim Masari as Running Mate
The Presidential Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has picked and submitted the name of Katsina State born Kabir Ibrahim Masari, a member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party as his running mate.
THECONSCIENCENG gathered that the selection stands as an interim measure as Masari will be substituted on or before August when the substantive Vice Presidential Candidate of the party emerges from the ongoing rounds of consultations on the matter.
The submission of the name of Masari is to beat the Friday June 17, 2022 deadline stipulated by INEC.
Tinubu, had despite initial hurdles, on Wednesday, June 8, clinched the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election. 23 aspirants picked forms for the contest, while 22 participated. One of the aspirants, Emeka Nwajiuba, did not participate.
“Masari is a serving board member of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Plateau State. His name was statutorily allowed in lieu of the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act. He would be substituted later after an agreement has been reached on Tinubu’s running mate,” he said.
The source also stated that the party also has a window period of one month to make the needed change, otherwise Masari becomes the substantive running mate to the presidential candidate.
Efforts made to reach the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, to confirm if a surrogate’s name has been filed for Tinubu’s running mate proved abortive.
When contacted, Director of Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, also told our correspondent that Masari was the name submitted to the INEC.
