Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Distances Self From Alleged 2023 Campaign Office In Abuja

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has debunked reports he has opened a campaign office in Abuja as part of preparations to contest for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 general elections.

This denial was made by the vice president’s spokesperson, Laolu Akande. He said his principal has not declared any interest in the 2023 presidency, describing the report as ‘fake news’.

Reports emerged Sunday that the vice president set up the office at No. 15b, Buchanan Crescent, off Aminu Kano, near Emab Plaza Wuse 2, Abuja.

According to the reports, the office, which was allegedly inaugurated on Saturday, was set up under the auspices of the Progressives Consolidated Group (PCG) complete with Osinbajo’s banner inscribed with “Face of Hope.”

Katsina state-born Dr Aliyu Kurfi was reported as the chairman of the PCG while the other alleged members are Musa Liman (deputy chairman North), Dr Ebenezer Faji (deputy chairman South), Dr. Eli Eberechukwu Dibia (Vice-Chairman), Dr. Ahmed Muhammed (National Coordinator), Dr. Usman Ibrahim (Organizing Secretary) and Barrister Emmanuel Pippa (Publicity Secretary).

Meanwhile, the PCG, a campaign group within the APC, has said it opened the campaign office on behalf of the vice president but without his consent.

The group’s publicity secretary, Emmanuel Pippa, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the group opened the office with the hope of getting Osinbajo to vie for the presidency.

The statement reads: “Our attention has just been brought to online publications alleging that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has opened a campaign office in Abuja ahead of the 2023 elections.

“We wish to clarify that the said office belongs to our coalition of support groups which strongly believes in Professor Osinbajo as the leader Nigeria needs in 2023, and is determined to get him to declare an interest in running for the office of President as early as possible. Solely for this purpose, our recently acquired administrative office is located in the heart of Wuse area of Abuja.

“Even though Professor Osinbajo is yet to be acquainted with our activities, we intend to operate through a new organ, The Progressive Project TPP to coordinate youth, women and other groups across the federation. Ours is therefore not a campaign office but a venue for coordination, handling of increasing volume of correspondence and meetings in readiness for the time when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo accedes to our request for him to run and consolidate gains made under President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Party chieftains will of course lead the real campaign when that time comes. Being a heartbeat away from the number one job, there are countless APC members and even, non-partisan citizens across the federation who are pushing for Professor Yemi Osinbajo to succeed or highly revered President Buhari, solely in the interest of the nation.

“We are convinced that Osinbajo’s level of familiarity with the vision, achievements and challenges being handled by President Buhari is second to none, and that such insight would enable a new APC administration hit the ground running in 2023.

“We anticipate that various new and existing pro-Osinbajo platforms will become part of the group to which their focus appears more relevant.”