South-West APC chieftains beg Tinubu to join 2023 presidential race

Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South West on Tuesday urged the national leader of the party and former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu to contest in the 2023 presidential election.

They made the appeal in Ibadan, Oyo State capital at the end of a meeting held by delegates from the South-West states of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos.

The meeting also featured the launch and unveiling of the logo of the South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA ’23) as dignitaries, including the chairman, Planning Committee of the movement, 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 canvassed for support in enhancing realisation of their dream.

Other top APC members involved in the SWAGA ’23 include former Speakers of Lagos State 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, as well as a former member of House of Representatives, Bosun Oladele, from Oyo State, who is the secretary of the planning committee.

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 at the occasion by Dr Aliyu Zakari-Jiya. National Coordinator, Nothern Region Support Tinubu for 2023, Hamman Dikko, was also at the programme.

According to the seven-point communique issued at the end of the meeting, signed by the chairman SWAGA’23 planning committee, Senator Adeyeye, and secretary, Oladele, in support of Tinubu, the group emphasised that the entire South West delegates agreed that in conformity with the current political activities in the country, the region must not be left behind.

“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.

“South-West 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. South-West Nigeria is very encouraged to contend for the presidency as we have highly qualified, marketable, capable, passionate, active and suitable candidate for the presidential contest come 2023.”

In his address, Adeyeye hinted that SWAGA ’23 would be launched in each state and ward in the South-West zone for effective mobilisation, stressing 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, 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.

“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”, Adeyeye remarked.