…insist South-West must produce Buhari’s succes
Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress in the South West have insisted that it is the turn of the region to produce the next President in 2023 in fulfillment of the agreement reached by the leadership of the party prior to the conduct of the 2015 general elections.
Presenting a 7-point communique at the end of its meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, a group, the South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA 23), insisted that in the spirit of justice, equity and fairness, the position should be zoned to the Southwest.
Also, the meeting resolved that the National Leader of the party and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, should be unanimously endorsed as the party’s candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
The meeting, which featured the launch and unveiling of the logo of the South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA ’23) had in attendance Senator Dayo Adeyeye, who is a former Minister of Works; former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; and an ex-Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe; former Speakers of Lagos and Ogun State Houses of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Suraj Adekunbi, respectively; the immediate past Secretary to Ondo State Government, Ifedayo Abegunde; former deputy governor of Oyo State, Chief Moses Adeyemo; Senator Adesoji Akanbi, who represented Oyo South in the Senate from 2015 to 2019 and former member of House of Representatives, Bosun Oladele, who is the secretary of the planning committee.
Others including Senator Abu Ibrahim from Katsina South Senatorial District, who played an active role in the merger negotiations between Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) towards 2015 general elections, was represented on the occasion by Dr. Aliyu Zakari-Jiya; National Coordinator, Northern Region Support Tinubu for 2023, Hamman Dikko, was also at the programme.
The communique reads, ‘The Southern region of the country ought to produce the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the interest of fairness, justice, equity, peace and unity of Nigeria in accordance with the understanding freely reached among the founding leaders of APC at the formation of the party.
“Southwest Nigeria, being part of the Southern Region, has the right to contend for the presidency of the country like every other region in the south. Southwest Nigeria is very encouraged to contend for the presidency as we have highly qualified, marketable, capable, passionate, active and suitable candidates for the presidential contest come 2023.”
In his address, Adeyeye hinted that SWAGA ’23 would be launched in each state and ward in the southwest zone for effective mobilisation, stressing that Tinubu has not authorised them to embark on the mission as they decided to do so on their own volition.
He stated, “For the discerning mind, the 2023 election is already in the front burner of national discourse. The discussion right now everywhere in the country is about what should and should not happen in 2023. That being the case, it is imperative that we should be part of this national discussion and activities.
Also read: 2023: Southwest ex-lawmakers, others endorse Tinubu for Presidency
“In the South West, our cause is buoyed by the fact that we have someone in our midst, who towers above other aspirants to this highly exalted office. He is a ready-made man for the job. He is one of the most experienced politicians in the country today – with a track record of unparalleled achievements in all facets of governance. He is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos State, national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC.”