June 17, (THEWILL) – The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has submitted the name of his running mate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Head of Tinubu Media Office, Tunde Rahman, who confirmed the development in a statement on Friday, said the forms were returned to INEC on June 15.
He was, however, silent on whether the name of his principal’s running mate was included in the form.
The statement read: “As stipulated by the electoral law and INEC guidelines and timetable, the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress, HE Asíwájú Bola Tinubu, has returned his duly completed nomination forms to INEC.
“The forms were returned on Wednesday June 15, two days ahead of schedule.
“We wish to reiterate that HE Asíwájú Tinubu stands ready to contest the February 25, 2023, presidential election to deliver progressive good governance to our people.”
Bashir Ahmaad, a former media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, also confirmed the development on his verified Twitter handle.
“Our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has submitted the name of his running mate to INEC, his media office has confirmed”, he tweeted.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the party, Kabiru Faskari, has confirmed that the name submitted to the electoral commission as Tinubu’s running mate is that of one Alhaji Kabir Ibrahim Masari, a Katsina-based politician.
Speaking on a Channels Television program, Politics Today, Faskari said Kabir’s name has been submitted to INEC as the APC vice presidential nominee.
“Yes, Ibrahim Kabir Masari is our Vice presidential nominee and he was the welfare secretary of the APC under the chairmanship of Oshiomhole”, he said.
Sources close to the APC presidential aspirant, said Masari was nominated as “a dummy running mate” or as a placeholder pending the conclusions of consultation on the issue of running mate by various stakeholders of the APC.
Tinubu can still substitute his running mate before the next year election in line with section 31 of the Electoral Act should Masari decide to withdraw.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed Friday, June 17, as deadline for parties to send in names of their vice-presidential candidates.
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