Osinbajo, Tinubu exchange handshakes as South West presidential aspirants, others meet in Lagos; *Issue of consensus candidacy not on the agenda – Source

Presidential and governorship aspirants from the South West geo-political zone of the country met in Lagos on Friday.

The meeting co-convened by former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and ex-Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, according to a source close to the meeting is called to discuss how to ensure rancor-free campaigns leading to the primaries of the parties expected to hold soon.

Asked if the meeting was also to explore the consensus option, the source said it was not on the agenda at all, stressing that the main issue at stake is how to ensure that the electioneering campaigns leading to the 2023 general elections is devoid of hostility, free of rancour and done in an amicable manner.

The meeting, he said, was attended by major Presidential and gubernatorial aspirants in the Southwest and also other aspirants for the National Assembly.

Besides the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, other participants at the meeting included the Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, all of whom are APC presidential aspirants.

Also at the meeting, apart from the aspirants were the former Governor of Lagos State and Works and Housing Minister Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, Industry, Trade & Investment Minister Chief Niyi Adebayo, Governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state and Gboyega Oyetola of Osun state.

Others included former Osun State Governor and Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola and the APC National Secretary Otunba Iyiola Omisore.
Although the meeting was still in progress at Press time, an inside source who had seen the agenda said “the issue of someone stepping down for another or a consensus candidate was not on the agenda.”