on the pretext of religion. That was not right. They were canvassing arguments that the Christians in the North would not vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“Nasir el-Rufai was also selling the same argument within the CPC (Congress for Progressive Change) because at that point, he still wanted to have Pastor (Tunde) Bakare brought in as Buhari’s running mate,” Tinubu said. Tinubu confirmed to the author that some PDP decampee governors and senators came to him on the eve of the primary to ask whether it was true that he had a deal with Buhari to run together, but he felt the timing and their motive were wrong. “I told them that it was better to resolve such issues after the primary but they wanted to make it a condition for supporting Buhari which for me was very wrong. “I told them I could not insist on this as a condition for my support for Buhari. I felt that it was not right to hold Buhari hostage in this manner. We thus canvassed hard for Buhari and threw our support behind him for the primary. “I believe the support that we gave was fundamental to Buhari clinching the party’s nomination. Without that support, a different outcome would have been most likely,” Tinubu recalled.
The former Lagos State governor, however, did not elaborate on the two other options that he said were also on the cards: (Rabiu) Kwankwaso (then governor of Kano State) and Atiku, in that order. There were those who felt that Kwankwaso, being younger, would make a better choice. As for Atiku, even though he was perhaps the most prepared for the job, there were many within the party who were not so keen on him. “After the primary, there were series of meetings with leaders like Chief Harry Akande insisting that I should be the VP choice. Others, for their own personal reasons, were saying I should not be the person, claiming a Muslim-Muslim ticket would not be accepted at a certain point.” When it became clear that the opposition to him as running mate was too strong, Tinubu ruled himself out by releasing a public statement; but when Buhari asked for three names, he insisted on submitting only one.
“I told him that I would give him only one name that would not be mine, although I personally believed a Muslim-Muslim ticket could ensure victory. “I backed out because I did not want to be depicted as causing a problem. I did not want foes inside and outside the party to use my name as a reason to sow division. “I backed away from the position in order to offer Buhari a name I once raised with him in 2011: that of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,” Tinubu then went on to recall Osinbajo’s reaction when he called him to inform him that he (Tinubu) had given Buhari his name as his running mate. However, that was just the beginning of the drama, the book continued, because there was no certainty about whether or not Buhari would make the choice.
“In fact, there were indications that others were trying to steer Buhari in another direction that would repeat what happened in 2011. “Acting contrary to the spirit of a harmonious union, these people believed that we would have no choice but to accept whatever came since the parties had already merged,” he said. Tinubu faulted hardliner members of the CPC who “seemed to be advancing the names of Pastor Bakare and Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu. Pastor Bakare I could understand but how Akeredolu became a nominee from their side was shocking to me. “I was later to find out that his connection to certain CPC figures predated his overture to me to become the ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) candidate in the Ondo State governorship election in 2012”. Having resolved that he had to make his position very clear to the CPC leaders who were close enough to Buhari to deliver his message, Tinubu said in the book: “I let it be known to some of the CPC people, ‘This is not a closed deal. Anything can still go wrong, so please don’t assume that you can just pick anybody as presidential running mate and we will support the partnership.

No, if Osinbajo is substituted for someone else, all bets are off’. I made that very clear.”
The high-wire act also left Tinubu with no option than to be on his guard. He said: “Once bitten, twice shy, they say. That explains why I did not attend the press conference. I did not want to be taken by surprise a second time in case another name other than the one I submitted was announced.” In the end, Osinbajo’s name was announced by Buhari as the presidential running mate.