2023: South West APC leaders call on Tinubu to join presidential race

From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

Hundreds of notable leaders in the South West have called on the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to join the 2023 presidential race.

The call came in less than 24 hours after the Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi III, endorsed Tinubu for the 2023 presidential poll.

The leaders made the call, yesterday, at the end of a meeting held by delegates from South West states of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The meeting, which also featured the launch and unveiling of logo of the South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA ‘23), was graced by dignitaries, including the Chairman, Planning Committee of the movement, Dayo Adeyeye and a former member of House of Representatives, Bosun Oladele, from Oyo State, who is the secretary of the planning committee.

In a seven-point communique issued at the end of the meeting, signed by Adeyeye and Oladele, SWAGA ‘23 said the South West delegates agreed that in line with the political activities going on in the country, the region must not be left behind, being a politically conscious region of the country.

“The southern region of the country ought to produce the next president 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.

“The South West, being part of the southern region, has the right to contend the presidency like every other region in the South. The South West is very encouraged to contend the presidency as we have highly qualified, marketable, capable, passionate, active and suitable candidate for the presidential contest in 2023.”

Adeyeye, in his address, said SWAGA ‘23 would be launched in each state and ward in the South West for effective mobilisation, saying Tinubu has not commissioned them to embark on the mission. But they deemed it fit to do so because they want the best for Nigeria.

“For the discerning mind, 2023 election is already in the front burner of national discourse…,” he said.