Governors, traditional rulers, business and political elites in the Yorubaland must carefully weigh various options and seriously consider backing Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in 2023, an All Progressives Congress youth group has advocated.
According to members of the South West Movement for Osinbajo (SOWEMOVE) who presented a report and copies of correspondence with several Obas and other eminent personalities in the South West to the Director of Operations of The Progressive Project (TPP), Alhaji Aliyu Usman Aliyu in Abuja during the weekend, Yoruba youth will become arrowheads of efforts towards making Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, successor to President Muhammadu Buhari.
In his brief response, Alhaji Aliyu Usman Alhaji explained that the TPP is going to be an umbrella organisation for all Nigerian groups at home and abroad who are canvassing for the success of All Progressives Congress (APC) and that of Professor Yemi Osinbajo in the 2023 elections.
“Our progressive cause is borne out of conviction and devoid of negative sentiments that becloud politics ith most parts of the Third World; we objectively see Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as the best towards sustaining the legacies of President Muhammadu Buhari and moving Nigeria forward,” Alhaji Aliyu Usman Aliyu said.
Copies of the November 2, 2021 letters written by the APC Youth group, South West Movement for Osinbajo (SOWEMOVE) to South West Obas, business and political elites is titled “2023: Appeal to South-West Elders/Leaders and signed by both its Coordinator, Abioye Akerele and Secretary, Olugbenga Byron.
Copies of the letters sighted by correspondents emphatically stated that Nigeria’s Presidency may elude the South West in 2023 if any wrong move such as failure to seriously consider total backing for Professor Yemi Osinbajo happens, adding that the loss of late Chief MKO Abiola was a huge loss for the South West and the entire federation.
“Not too long after the Moshood Abiola political era, our emphatic strides within the Nigerian power equation is being threatened and today, there are obvious political traps with the potential to dislodge the South West from a vantage point through which we ought to ascend higher, to real power at the centre.
“If current realities are not adequately weighed, using the wisdom of elders like you, the South West may play itself out of the power equation in 2023,” the group stated, adding that the dynamics of the politics of the 2023 general elections is gradually manifesting from different lines of calculation while many in the South West still appear oblivious of its deeper perspectives.
Reeking out names of past and present political icons in the South West, the group described Osinbajo as being most excellent while APC leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is derived as an outstanding leader who can further advance national interest by endorsing Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
“He (Tinubu) is one leader out of many who has been actively involved in the struggle towards making Nigeria work, he is unique in all respects, irrespective of whatever one may think of his political method,” they stated while stressing that it is now time for him and all Yoruba leaders to see VP Osinbajo’s success as a common cause.
“In the light of the above, we, members of the SOUTH WEST MOVEMENT FOR OSINBAJO (SO WE MOVE) believe that our revered Obas across Yorubaland, the APC Governors in the South West geo-political zone, all Yoruba political elites, business moguls and leaders of thought should now rise to prevail on Asiwaju to invest his political capital in the person of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, in the overall interest of the Yoruba people.
“We cannot afford to keep distracting ourselves with wrong steps and faulty strategy at the risk of neglecting the very core of our geo-political zone’s priority of regaining power at the centre and actualizing further positive impacts for ourselves and the entire federation come 2023.
“Today, he sits in vantage position and he is greatly enriched with great purposeful insights into what needs to be done towards achieving lasting change; as the number two in Government, he is the closest to the highly coveted seat.
“Prof. Osinbajo has the requisite character, capacity, capability and the intellect to run Nigeria to the satisfaction of the generality of the Nigerian populace.
“We therefore call on you and our entire Yoruba leaders not to “siddon look” by watching while some South West politicians take wrong steps in the on-going political calculations; we must not allow a drift that will only take us all to a chaotic spot, only to then begin seeking desperate solutions.
“We believe strongly that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is our sure bet for 2023 in the entire South West and we need Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the principal game changer to support this bid.
“For the sustenance of the South West’s political relevance in the Nigerian federation and in the larger interest of all Nigerians, it stands to reason that we stand firmly behind Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s candidature for President come 2023.
“As the number two to President Mohammad Buhari, he has demonstrated obvious capacity and capability to re-invent the wheel of progress for national growth and development.“He has won the confidence of Nigerians across various divides by the way and manner he has conducted himself as the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We therefore plead earnestly that our leaders and elders in the South Western Zone must not allow the conflicting interest of a few to destroy the very bright political chances of our entire region in the 2023 Presidential Elections.
Governors, traditional rulers and other Yoruba elites to whom the letters lobbying for support towards realizing an Osinbajo Presidency were addressed include:
LAGOS STATE1 Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu Executive Governor Lagos2 Hon. Mudashiru Obasa Rt. Honorable Speaker Lagos state3 Oba Riliwanu Babatunde Akiolu I Oba of Lagos 4 Oba S.A.A Oyefusi (Oguntade II) Ayangburen of Ikorodu 5 De Aholu Menu-Toyu 1 Akran of Badagry Kingdom 6 Oba Shefiu Olatunji Adewale Olu of Epe Kingdom7 Oba Fatai Ayinla Aileru Olu of Mushin8 Oba Raufu Adeniyi Matemi Amore Olu of Ikeja 9 Oba Lateef Atanda Adams Olu of Agege 10 Oba A.O Adesanya Alara of Ilara.
OGUN STATE1 Mr. Dapo Abiodun (MFR) Executive Governor Ogun state2 Hon. Olakunle Taiwo Oluomo (Prince) Rt. Honorable Speaker Ogun state3 Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III (CFR) Alake of Egbaland 4 Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Awujale of Ijebuland 5 Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle Olu of Ilaro 6 Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, Torungbuwa II Akarigbo of Remo Land7 Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu Amororo II (CON) Olowu of Owu8 Oba Abdulrazaq Adeshina Adenugba Ebunmawe of Ago Iwoye 9 Oba Adeleke Idowu Basibo (Oduru V) Alaperu of Iperu 10 Oba Sola Adeniyi Olaniyan Onipokia of Ipokia.
OSUN STATE1 Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola Executive Governor Osun state2 Hon. Timothy Owoeye Rt. Honorable Speaker Osun state3 Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; (Ọjájá II) Ooni of Ife 4 Oba Iyiola Oyewale Matanmi III Ataoja of Osogbo5 Oba Dr. Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland6Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi (Ilufemiloye Telu)
Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal (Laminisa I), Timi of Ede8 Oba Abdulrasheed Ayotunde Olabomi Aragbiji of iragbiji9 Oba Samuel Oyebode Oluronke II Olukuku of Okuku10 Oba Moses Oyediran Ogunsua Of Modakeke.
ONDO STATE1 H.E. Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN Executive Governor Ondo state.2 Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun Rt. Honorable Speaker Ondo state.3 Oba Adebiyi Adegboye Adesida Deji of Akure.4 Oba Adesimbo Victor Kiladejo Adenrele (Jilo IV) Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom5 Oba Dr. Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi III Olowo of Owo6 Oba [Alh] A.S. Momoh [JP] Olukare of Ikare Akoko 7 Oba Dr. F. Aroloye, Arubiefin lV, J. P. (OFR) Owa of Idanre Idanre8 Oba Michael Obatuga Adetoye Jegun of Idepe-Okitipupa Okitipupa9 Oba Alhaji [Dr.] Y. A. Adeleye J.P. OON Olubaka of Oka10 Oba Aderemi Adelola Ajobu Araromi-Obu.
EKITI1 Dr. John Olukayode Fayemi Executive Governor 2 Hon. Afuye Funminiyi Rt. Honorable Speaker3HRM, Oba (Dr) James Adedapo Popoola CON,JP, Odundun I The Oore of Moba Moba4HRM, Oba (Dr) Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi II CON, JP The Ewi of Ado Ado Ekiti5 HRM, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji JP The Owa Ooye6 HRM, Oba Adewumi Ajibade Fasiku. The Elekole of Ikole7 HRM, Oba (Dr) Emmanuel Adesanya Aladejare The Alaaye Obalufon Alayemore8 HRM, Oba Adegboye Akaiyejo II,OON,JP The Ogoga of Ikere9HRM, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju Adugbole III KSJ, OON JP The Oloye of Oye Ekiti10 HRM, Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole II, OFR, JP The Ajero of Ijero.
OYO STATE1 Mr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde Executive Governor Oyo2 Hon. Debo Ogundoyin Rt. Honorable Speaker3 Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III Alafin of Oyo 4 Oba Saliu Adetunji Olubadan of Ibadan
Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade III, the Soun of Ogbomosho
