Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Friday in Ibadan, Oyo State, got the blessing of its traditional ruler, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, in the race for the 2023 presidency.
Prof. Osinbajo was in Ibadan to confer with delegates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the May 30-31, 2022 National Convention of the party but took time off to pay a courtesy call on the Olubadan at his private residence.
Ahead of his just concluded meeting with APC Stakeholders in Oyo State which drew an impressive & massive outpouring of affection for the VP, the Olubadan of Ibadanland blessed Prof. Osinbajo with an unambiguous endorsement. Hear him yourself while welcoming VP today in Ibadan… pic.twitter.com/tYwXltHYLY
— Laolu Akande (@akandeoj) April 22, 2022
While praying for the vice president, the monarch, who received the Vice President in company with his chiefs, said that Prof. Osinbajo would rise to become president.
“The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, very soon, hopefully, in God’s name, you will be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Like we watch ourselves, God watches us too. Nine out of ten cases, what we think about ourselves is what God thinks about us.
“Vice President, you are a very wonderful human being; may Allah grant you access to what you want; may Allah support you; may Allah protect you. So shall it be. I can spend the next two hours just praying for you.
“Not being a politician, I don’t want to be tempted to talk about politics. I don’t even know how to talk about politics anymore.
“So, I conclude my contribution by handing you over to Allah. Let him protect you. Let him promote you. So shall it be.”
The Vice President informed the Olubadan of Ibadan that he was in his domain to confer with the delegates of the national convention of the APC, where the presidential candidate would be picked.
Reminding the monarch and his chiefs of the April 11 2022 declaration of his intention to run for the office, Osinbajo stated that he was in the race because of his willingness to serve Nigeria.
“I did so, first, taking into account, the fact that our country always will need all of those who are willing to serve it with the best of their capacity; the best of their knowledge.
“ I did so humbly; with great humility, after serving for seven and half years, or so, as vice president, after even acting as president under our president, President Muhammadu Buhari, who truly gave me every opportunity, who opened up governance to me in a way that most deputies may not have experienced—I must give him the credit for ensuring that he entrusted a lot to me, including very sensitive international assignments.
“After all of that I felt that it would be the right thing to do to make that experience available to the people of our country.
“If by the grace of God and the will of the people, I’m voted in as the president come 2023, I believe that there is so much to do and it is the desire of our hearts that our country will be much greater and attain all of our great potentials.”
The Vice President expressed his best wishes for Oba Lekan Balogun and prayed that his days on the throne would bring peace and prosperity to the people of Ibadan.
Among politicians that accompanied him on the trip were Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa; Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, Senator Teslim Folarin, Mr. Shehu Rijau and Mr. Niyi Akintola.
The Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan and the Chairman of the APC in Oyo State, Isaac Ajiboye were also at the palace with the Vice President.
PIAK
