The Office of the Vice President on Monday disassociated itself from a website and Whatsapp group soliciting and mobilizing support for its principal, Yemi Osinbajo, ahead of the 2023 presidential election, insisting that the Professor has not declared interest to contest for the position of president.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, stressing that the Vice President was not in any way connected to the social media platforms.
Akande in the statement said Osinbajo was focused on working in his capacity as the sitting Vice President to address all the compelling issues in the country and concerns of Nigerians, including finding effective and lasting solutions to the security challenges.
“The attention of the Office of the Vice President has been drawn to a website:supportosinbajo.ng that is calling on Nigerians to join a volunteer group mobilizing support for Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
“Details of this website and the solicitation of the group are currently trending on WhatsApp with a suggestion that Prof. Osinbajo has “quietly” declared interest in the 2023 election.
“The Office of the Vice President is not in any way connected to this website or the group behind it and considers such an enterprise an unnecessary distraction.
“Prof. Osinbajo has not declared any interest whatsoever in the 2023 election, but he is rather focused on working in his capacity as Vice President in the current administration to address all the compelling issues in the country and concerns of Nigerians, including finding effective and lasting solutions to the security challenges.
“Therefore, we ask that people desist from such unhelpful permutations while we all deal together with the challenges confronting us as Nigerians, and resolve them for the benefit of our people, peace and prosperity in the land,” the statement said.