National Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, Aswanju Bola Tinubu has confirmed his intentions to contest the office of the president in the upcoming 2023 elections.
Nigeria: Former Lagos governor declares interest in contesting 2023 presidency
leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu delivers a speech during a rally organized to celebrate his 66th birthday in Lagos, on March 29, 2018. STEFAN
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Mr. Tinubu, 69, made the declaration on Monday after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
This comes after months of speculations amongst a section of the Nigerian public on his intentions.
He told local media that it has been his “age-long ambition to lead the country one day” and believes 2023 is the time.
“I have informed the President of my ambition but I have not informed Nigerians yet, I am still consulting. ”
Mr. Tinubu however did not make it clear to journalists the position of President Buhari on his plans to run for president.
The former governor of Lagos state was actively involved in the merger of opposition parties that displaced the People’s Democratic Party in 2015.
He will now be considered among the frontrunners to succeed Mr. Buhari in May next year if he wins the party primaries.
There have been mixed reactions amongst Nigerians with some raising questions about the state of his health and allegations of corruption, which he had denied.