Bola Tinubu, APC national leader, played a major role in galvanising support for Buhari among thousands of delegates. Information indicated that as far back as October Tinubu had thrown his weight behind the retired general, and despite all the intrigues that eventually ensued ─ with the possible candidature of Aminu Tambuwal, the speaker of the house of representatives, showing up along the way ─ the former governor of Lagos state still stuck to his Plan A. Tinubu and Atiku are battle-tested.
They know each other very well, from the days of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) led by the later Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. PDM were reputed as masters of delegate votes. Tinubu and Atiku needed to cancel each other out to determine whose camp would pick the ticket. The stage was set on Tuesday as delegates started arriving Lagos from different parts of the country.
To checkmate Atiku, Tinubu got all the governors in his camp to team up with the governors in Buhari’s camp. They met with him at his office on Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island, Lagos, till the early hours of Wednesday, where all the details were worked out. In the next four hours, Tinubu criss-crossed Lagos, holding meetings with key delegates, some via teleconference. In total, he held 10 meetings within four hours to finalise the voting in favour of Buhari.
Some of the meetings were held at Eko Hotel, Lagos governor’s residence at Isaac John, Ikeja, Tinubu’s residence at Bourdillon Street, Ikoyi, and Lagos House, Marina. Significantly, Atiku’s supporters were left out of the meetings.
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