2023 polls and City People’s long throat journalism

By Charles Okoye

From the onset of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign, the role of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was well defined and communicated by President Muhammadu Buhari, his boss.

A statement on September 24, 2022 issued by Festus Keyamo, the director of public affairs and chief spokesperson for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council read, “Our attention has been drawn to some stories making the rounds that there may be something amiss within the family of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the name of our own revered and respected Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, is not included in the list of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.

“Nothing can be farther from the facts. For the avoidance of doubt, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, is the Chairman of the Campaign Council. As a result, Mr. President has SPECIFICALLY directed that the Vice-President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha should be left out of the Campaign Council to concentrate on the governance of the country and administration of Government. As a responsible Party and Government, all the key functionaries of government cannot abandon their positions for electioneering campaigns. The APC has the mandate of the Nigerian people to administer the country on their behalf at least till May, 29, 2023, and this we intend to do with all sense of responsibility.

In hindsight, this statement was made in reference to unprofessional, unethical and poorly strewn blogs and soft news websites like City People.

The concluding part of Keyamo’s statement read, “We will not toe the path of those who governed the country in an irresponsible manner before us and our Party is not in total disarray like those who wish to ‘rescue’ the country, but cannot simply manage their own internal affairs.”

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo congratulating Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate at the convention in Eagle Square, Abuja

With this in mind, one will wonder why Seye Kehinde and his trolls will write such a poorly researched, below par article titled, WHY VP HAS OSINBAJO REFUSED TO CAMPAIGN FOR TINUBU. Starting from the grammatically incorrect headline, it showed that no real thinking or work was applied, in fact, this is below the gutter journalism that City People churn out on a regular.

To set the records straight, Prof. Osinbajo has not only congratulated the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, but he visited him personally at his Abuja residence on December 21, 2022.

It is on record that after the primaries, Osinbajo urged all party members to support Tinubu. On 9 June, two days after the primaries, he said and I quote, “I congratulate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory at our party primaries and his emergence as the Presidential Candidate and Flagbearer of our great party, the APC for the forthcoming 2023 Presidential Elections.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the ministerial retreat in Abuja on October 18, 2022“For many decades, our Flagbearer has shown passion, patriotism, courage and determination in the cause of nation-building. His sterling contributions to our democracy and its progress stand him out. His wealth of experience will certainly be critical in our party’s continued efforts to attain a more secure and prosperous Nigeria.

But more importantly, the Vice President’s statement said, “to all members of our great party, regardless of who you voted for at the primaries, we must now unite behind our Presidential Candidate and Flagbearer to ensure victory for our party in the 2023 elections.”

How exactly is he a sore loser? This is nothing but the figment of the imagination of a drowning magazine. City People in its bid to entrench long throat journalism and cause bad blood within the APC which is what they are paid to do, made bogus and unverifiable references to the presidential rally in Ogun state.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo paid a private visit to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at his Abuja residence on December 21, 2022

Without any fact or reference, City People concocted their own version of events despite the fact that it was well documented that the Vice President was chairing the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on the same day as the rally. An average Nigerian knows that FEC meetings hold every Wednesday something that is elusive to City People magazine.

Is City People suggesting that the VP leave matters of national importance? Is City People suggesting he disrespects his boss who ordered him to face governance? It is hard to understand what City People want but one thing is clear, the magazine is anti-APC and Nigerians can see through their long-throat journalism.

Prof. Osinbajo is a man committed to the APC and this was again evident on February 1, 2023 when he received the APC Legal Team at the Presidential Villa after the weekly FEC meeting.

The meeting was attended by the two Ministers who are Senior Advocates of Nigeria: Mr. Babatunde Fashola and Mr. Festus Keyamo. The current APC National Legal Adviser Barr. Ahmed El-Marzuk and his predecessor, Mr. Babatunde Ogala, SAN, were also in attendance among other party and government officials seen at the Villa.

Only yesterday, February 7, 2023, the Vice President was marketing the APC at the National Delegates’ Conference of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, where he was Special Guest of Honour.

His comments were communicated via a press statement. I think the whole of the City People team need some serious training and retraining because as it is, they are a complete disgrace to journalism.

Charles Okoye, an IT expert and social media analyst wrote from Abuja