Tinubu Support Group Endorses El-Rufai As Presidential Running Mate

The Tinubu Support Organisation, TSO, has thrown its weight behind Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, as the best choice of running mate for the All Progressives Congress’ Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

Recall key stakeholders’ including some governors in the North West had few days ago met and called for adoption of one of them as Tinubu’s running mate.

Although the governors and other stakeholders fell short of endorsing El-Rufai openly, it came to light that the governors may have endorsed El-Rufai as their choice.

On Monday, the TSO advanced the argument after its consultative
meeting with critical stakeholders in Kaduna.

While noting that APC has very many qualified individuals that could be chosen as running mate, Director-General of the TSO, Aminu Suleiman, said the choice of running mate was a critical success factor for the victory of Tinubu.

“After due consultation with critical stakeholders, especially in the North-West, it is of the fact that El-Rufai is Asiwaju’s best choice for Vice President,” Suleiman said.

He added that, “We are glad that the APC has many outstanding individuals among its leaders. But, having assessed all the options, it is the view of the TSO that the APC’s candidate for the VP should be chosen from the North-West, the single largest voting bloc in Nigeria.

“It is our view that the person that can best compliment Asiwaju as VP is Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, and we recommend that he should be chosen as the running mate.

“El-Rufai is a very experienced person. He has held offices at the federal level and at the state level, and he has done well in every office. He has always stood for progressive policies. He is not afraid of difficult decisions. This is a man that is running a state government with appointees from all over Nigeria.

“His capacity is not in doubt. His personal ability is outstanding. He is firm. He is courageous. He is principled. We know that he resisted every pressure to be dragged into the presidential race. We appreciate him and his colleagues, the APC governors from the north, for sticking to the view that gentlemen should respect agreements.

“El-Rufai is a leader whose talents and energy should be brought back to the federal level. We appeal to all our leaders in the APC to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to choose El-Rufai as his running mate.”

Tinubu who emerged in June as the party’s presidential flagbearer could only choose a place holder until the mid of July when he can nominate a substantive running mate.

The two-term governor of Lagos is one of the favourites to win the presidential election next year.