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The South West Agenda (SWAGA) has disclosed that there was a gentleman agreement between the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that the latter in Southern Nigeria would produce President Mohammadu Buhari’s successor while forming the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014.
SWAGA Vice Chairman, Sen. Adesoji Akanbi, disclosed this in a chat with The Nation on Wednesday.
Akanbi, who represented Oyo South at the Senate between 2015 and 2019, said leaders of both blocs, which were the major collaborators in the APC, had the gentleman agreement, adding that it was not documented in black and white. While Buhari was the CPC leader at the time, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was the ACN leader. He said the agreement was still valid, and that members of both blocks are fully aware of it.
The former lawmaker who facilitated the inclusion of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project in the budgets while he was at the Senate, further explained that the reasoning behind the agreement was that such rotation, which would allow the Southern zone produce the next president, would keep Nigeria together as one.
“There was a gentleman agreement, though not written, between the then CPC and ACN on rotational presidency. The thinking was that it would help keep Nigeria as one indivisible entity. We believe that the ACN has sacrificed a lot for the formation of the APC, therefore, Southern Nigeria should produce the next president.
“At SWAGA, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is our third agenda. He is the candidate that can win election for South West. If we are opportune as a zone to produce the candidate that has appeal to other zones, Tinubu is the one.” Akanbi said.
SWAGA was formed by some South West APC leaders in late 2020. The group has been engaging traditional rulers and leaders of thought in South West beginning with Oyo State. It has engaged leaders in Osun and Ogun states with a plan to move to Ondo State in April and round it off in Lagos State.
It is chaired by Sen. Dayo Adeyeye. Other members include Sen. Gbenga Obadara, Sen. Tony Adeniyi, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, Hon. Akinlabi Hon. Bosun Oladele and Rotimi Makinde.
Its message is that leaders in South West should support Tinubu when the opportunity comes for the zone to present an acceptable presidential candidate for the APC.