Why South West May Lose Presidency In 2023

As the country looks forward to the next general elections, notable Yoruba leaders have warned that the current disunity among the people may prevent the South-West zone from producing Nigeria’s President in 2023.

The leaders, drawn from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and the Ekiti States gave the warning at the 2021 Pan-Yoruba Summit, with the tagline “Yoruba Nation: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” organised by the Yoruba Patriots Movement (YPM), at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Pan-Yoruba leaders stated that Yoruba should not allow history to repeat itself as disunity among Yoruba had in the past prevented former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and business mogul, Chief M.K.O Abiola.

They appealed to the South-West indigenes not to allow disunity to prevent a Yoruba man to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

The National Coordinator of YPM, Oladosu Oladipo, who emphasised the importance of unity among the Yoruba race, stated that there were pre-2015 election zoning arrangements that the power would come to the Southern part of the country in 2023, adding that the arrangements made the Yoruba nation to vote massively for President Buhari in 2015 and 2019.

READ ALSO: 2023 Election: Bamgbose Warns Tinubu Not To Run

Ahead of the 2023 polls, he stated that the South-West should produce the president and the best product from the geo-political zone is the former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Meanwhile, Senator Soji Akanbi added: “The message is very clear. It is like a gentleman agreement that after the North, the presidency should come to the South, where we have South West, South East and South-South.

"It is a competition between the three zones. We have to put our best forward. And the best we are putting forward for South West is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But we need to be united.”

Former President, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Bayo Oyero; Dr Stella Alhazan from Texas, United States, who spoke on behalf of the people in the Diaspora; Secretary of South West Agenda Group for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA ‘23), Bosun Oladele and other speakers called for unity.

“Our leaders should look inward and reconcile every dissenting voice. And everyone should key into the South West Agenda for 2023,” Oladele said.

Dignitaries at the programme include National Coordinator, YPM, Oladosu Oladipo; Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Henry Ajomale; Vice-Chairman of South West Agenda Group for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA ‘23),

Also, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Tinubu Legacy Forum, Alhaji Ganiyu Adesina; Bishop of Ibadan North, the African Church; Right Rev’d Abiodun Ademola; President, Isokan Islam of Nigeria, Sheik Abdullah Olaore; former Commissioner for Health on Oyo State, Dr Azeez Adeduntann,

Others are Senator Adesoji Akanbi from Oyo State; and Secretary of SWAGA’23 Movement, Bosun Oladele, a former member of the House of Representatives from Oyo State and so on.