Former President Obasanjo had told Mallam Nasir el-Rufai to convince Buhari to substitute Bakare with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and that if that was done, both he and Babangida would mobilize support for the Buhari campaign.
El-Rufai got across to Bakare to sell the idea. Bakare bought the idea provided it would make Buhari win, insisting that it was his opportunity to escape from public office which he was never too anxious to get involved in the first place.
In turn, Bakare and El-Rufai met Buhari to sell the idea to him. Bakare spoke first. The choice of Okonjo-Iweala, he said, would be a masterstroke because as a woman, it would attract female votes. Since Buhari was one that signed a decree on gender affirmative action nearly three decades ago, this was a golden chance to give it a practical play. Next, Okonjo-Iweala is an economist, a former finance minister—that gives the campaign a strong economic rooting. As a former external affairs minister and now the managing director of World Bank, she has strong international clout. As Delta Igbo, that solves the Igbo question of not being well represented in the current political dispensation. Finally, if the choice would earn the campaign more support and help Buhari to win, that was the main objective, as far as he was concerned. El-Rufai also delivered Obasanjo’s message as passionately as he could and Buhari listened patiently.
“If you have changed your mind about running with me, then tell me,” Buhari finally spoke. “You are the only one that can make me drop you from the campaign if you have changed your mind.”
Turning to El-Rufai, Bakare narrated, Buhari said, “Give my regards to OBJ.”
El-Rufai got across to Bakare to sell the idea. Bakare bought the idea provided it would make Buhari win, insisting that it was his opportunity to escape from public office which he was never too anxious to get involved in the first place.
In turn, Bakare and El-Rufai met Buhari to sell the idea to him. Bakare spoke first. The choice of Okonjo-Iweala, he said, would be a masterstroke because as a woman, it would attract female votes. Since Buhari was one that signed a decree on gender affirmative action nearly three decades ago, this was a golden chance to give it a practical play. Next, Okonjo-Iweala is an economist, a former finance minister—that gives the campaign a strong economic rooting. As a former external affairs minister and now the managing director of World Bank, she has strong international clout. As Delta Igbo, that solves the Igbo question of not being well represented in the current political dispensation. Finally, if the choice would earn the campaign more support and help Buhari to win, that was the main objective, as far as he was concerned. El-Rufai also delivered Obasanjo’s message as passionately as he could and Buhari listened patiently.
“If you have changed your mind about running with me, then tell me,” Buhari finally spoke. “You are the only one that can make me drop you from the campaign if you have changed your mind.”
Turning to El-Rufai, Bakare narrated, Buhari said, “Give my regards to OBJ.”
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