2023 Presidency: Buhari, APC, urged to give Osinbajo right of first refusal

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Yusuff urged President Muhammadu Buhari to consider ceding the presidential seat to Osinbajo, saying that he has distinguished himself as a public servant and has the interest of the country at heart.

He said, “Without mincing words, the purpose of this press conference is not to join the bandwagon of groups pressuring one political office holder or the other to join the presidential race, but to call on President Muhammadu Buhari, and the leadership of the APC to, in the finest tradition of presidential succession, offer the privilege of Right of First Refusal to the Presidency on His Excellency, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

“The Right of First Refusal is a legal contractual right that gives its holder the option to transact with the other contracting party before others can. It is important to make this clarification because the Right of First Refusal in Politics is different from the Right of First Refusal in contractual terms and business.

“The Right of First Refusal in Politics is a privilege accorded a distinguished public servant or politician to vie for higher office or re-contest for a new term without the rigour of intraparty challenge, otherwise known as primaries.

“This act of privilege is bestowed upon an incumbent officeholder without prejudice to the right of others to vie for the same office, but an appreciation for the concept of continuity that is required for policy growth and consolidation.

“The Right of First Refusal is a political tool used for stabilization of the polity in an environment where policies changes or summersaults with every regime change. Frequent changes of government policies are inimical to development and are one of the arguments put up by despots to elongate their stay in office.”

He continued: “He (Osinbajo) is the most qualified, most knowledgeable of the challenges ahead based on the milestones covered so far, the Vice President is well nurtured, best groomed and prepared to take charge on the day one.

“Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has always been at the centre of policies and programmes of the Buhari administration.

“He is a versatile and dependable auxiliary worker at the presidency to President Muhammadu Buhari, and there should be no second-guessing as to the suitability of no argument Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to succeed President Buhari as President in 2023.”

He appreciated the Buhari-led administration for signing into law the 2022 Electoral Act even as he commended the APC for opting for the consensus option in its dealings.