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The Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, has advised the five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors not to back down from their position that the party must reflect inclusiveness.
Oba Alao, who is a first class traditional ruler in Oyo State, gave the admonition while featuring on Fresh 105.9FM programme, ‘South West Political Circuit,’ at the weekend.
The monarch’s advice comes amid reports that the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is willing to dialogue to resolve the crisis within the party ahead of the 2023 elections.
The five governors – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuayi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) – have insisted that the party’s national chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, must step down for a southerner because the party’s presidential candidate, Abubakar, and the chairman cannot come from the same region.The G-5 governors are being led by Wike.
“Backing down at this stage will not augur well, taking cognizance of what they have gone through. They have sat down more than six times, and they are still sitting down, and nothing has changed. Now probably they just want to lure them with certain offers. But if the party wins, those people will still go back to what they intend to do. Sometimes, some people in Nigeria feel that they are larger than life.
“What I, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, the Olugbon of Orile-Ignon, stand for is that power must return to the South. Let the next president come from anywhere in southern Nigeria after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari. These governors are saying that power needs to come to the South on the basis of fairness, justice and equity or that there should be power sharing to achieve inclusiveness.
“The 17 southern governors agreed that power must return to the South but some of them betrayed the cause of the region and equity and justice. Anyway, we must always have a Judas.
“But we need leaders who will show character. One of the key components of leadership training programmes all over the world is character. And I give that to the present governor of this state, Engr. Seyi Makinde. I never voted for him. But he is the overall leader of this state. He welcomed us, saying we needed to run the government together. Governance is about welcoming different ideas and aggregating them to make best decisions for the people. In 2019, Oriire, Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa Local Governments voted for All Progressives Congress (APC), but this time, our governorship votes will go to Seyi Makinde because he is a man of character.
“But as for presidency, PDP does not have a presidential candidate that we want in the South. APC and Labour Party (LP) have southern presidential candidates; I am standing by them. My decision is about principle, not partisanship. Awa lo kan (It’s our turn in the South),” the monarch said.
When asked to advise the governors, he said: “My advice to the G-5 PDP governors is that they are politicians. They know how to play the game. Though the task may look herculean because the presidential election comes with National Assembly election, they should go to the drawing board and fashion out an amicable resolution. I will advise them to stand on their position because it is not for personal interest but for Nigeria. And they are doing it for the interest of the region.”
When asked if he would be happy to see Asiwaju Bola Tinubu emerge as the next president, Oba Alao said: “Absolutely, because he hails from the South, and he has the political experience, stamina and pedigree.”