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A pan Yoruba socio-political group, the Yoruba Patriots Movement (YPM), has commended the South West Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for convening the meeting with all the Yoruba presidential aspirants in Lagos on Friday, describing the outcome as a welcome development.
The meeting had in attendance Chief Bisi Akande, former Executive Governor of Osun State and pioneer APC National Chairman; Chief Olusegun Osoba, former Executive Governor of Ogun State; and all the aspirants of Yoruba extraction, namely, the Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Executive Governor of Lagos State and APC National Leader; Dr Kayode Fayemi, Executive Governor of Ekiti State; and Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former Executive Governor of Ogun State.
Others are the Executive Governors of Ondo, Lagos, Ogun and Osun States, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dapo Abiodun and Gboyega Oyetola, respectively, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Hon Minister of Trade Industry and Investment; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Hon Minister of Interior; Minister for Works, Raji Babatunde Fashola (SAN); and, the APC National Secretary, Otunba,Dr. Iyiola Omisore (Ph.D).
YPM, in a statement signed by its Founder and National Coordinator, Barrister Oladosu Oladipo (GCCF), on Saturday, May 7, and made available to newmen in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, expressed confidence in not only working towards the possibility of achieving a consensus in producing a monolithic Yoruba presidential candidate, but also in the emergence of Yoruba APC Presidential candidate at the party’s primaries later this month
“The wise move by the South West leaders before the APC primaries scheduled for May 30/June1, 2022, indicates that South West is ready, prepared and capable to lead this nation, even to the next-level prosperity deliverables of life more abundance for Nigeria and all Nigerians in the atmosphere of equity, peace, justice and fairness for all Nigerians without creed, tribe or tongue come 2023,” the statement read in part.
According to Oladipo, the group acknowledged the prepondrous and spontaneous reactions across Nigeria on the arrays of presidential aspirants especially among the Yoruba folks and saluted the courage being displayed by various Yoruba aspirants ahead of 2023 general elections.
While the group commended all presidential aspirants of Yoruba extraction for conducting themselves in an atmosphere devoid of rancour, campaigning and mobilising support for their presidential ambition in a peaceful manner, it however disagreed with the notion that the chance of South West to produce the next president will be dimmed because of many Yorubas jostling for 2023 presidency.
“For the reason that more Yorubas came out to contest for 2023 Presidency, it will not bring acrimony nor slim down the chance of the Yorubas. At the appropriate time, we know what to do, even to the admiration of all our supporters all over the six geopolitical zones of this country devoid of the ethnic divide,” Oladipo stated.
YPM commended Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the Chairman, Southern Governors Forum, for his sterling leadership role in championing the crusade for the actualisation of Yoruba presidency in 2023.
Also, the group noted and appreciated Governors Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Aminu Masari of Kano and Katsina States; Sen. Abba Alli; Engineer Marcus Gundiri, former Deputy Governor of Adamawa State; Alhaji Aminu Suleiman; Alhaji Mohammed Makinta and many other notable northern politicians for queuing behind South West presidency project.
“We thank all our Northern brothers, including Senator Kabiru Gaya; Her Excellency, Dame Pauline Tallen; Engineer Abdullahi Sure, Nassarawa State Governor; and Ajia Maryam Salihu Ibrahim, for their total support for South West presidency in 2023”, the statement added.
Hon. Oladipo also aligned himself with the position of the Southern and the Middle Belt Forum for power shift to the South, which according to him, is in contrast to Professor Ango Abdullahi-led Northern Elders Forum which canvasses against the power shift, warning that “Bury Zoning of the 2023 Presidency to the South, and bury Nigeria.”