All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has finally announced Professor Yemi Osibajo as his running mate in 2015 presidential election scheduled for February 14, 2015.

A news flash by LEADERSHIP Online which broke the story did not immediately give details.

News Express had this morning reported that Buhari and APC leaders over-night finally settled for Prof. Osibajo, a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State during the Bola Tinubu administration.

Osibajo had earlier been proposed by his political godfather, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the APC National Leader alongside Buhari but the APC presidential candidate reportedly preffered Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is believed to have been his major financier. Buhari had also argued that Osibajo lacks name recognition and that choosing a Pastor (Tunde Bakare) as running mate in 2011 did not help his (Buhari’s) electoral chances.

Buhari and the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, were yesterday morning handed the task of choosing a running mate for the party from the array of candidates jostling for the office following the inability of Tinubu, who was interested in the post, to pick a running mate from the South-West zone.

A THISDAY report had quoted a party source as disclosing that Osibajo was selected because he is a pastor of the Redeemed Church, whose Christian congregants Buhari and the APC are targeting in the 2015 presidential election.

He named other prospective candidates who were considered yesterday to include Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Niyi Adebayo and Kayode Fayemi – all former governors from the South-West zone – as well as Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora. Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola reportedly withrew, citing fatigue.

Buhari had been expected to announce his running mate after emerging the APC candidate last Thursday but party leaders failed to agree on the issue.

All political parties have till the end of today to submit the name of candidates vying for various political offices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

•Photo shows Prof. Osibajo.

Update news