Ahead of the February 25th, 2023 presidential election, the Yoruba World Congress, traditional rulers and market men and women have thrown their weights behind the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The people, who expressed that no amount of the antics of saboteurs can spoil the chances of Tinubu, gathered at the ancient Mapo Hall, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State on Thursday to speak on the theme, ‘Way Forward for Yoruba’.
Speaking at the event, the Olugbon of Ile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, said that it was time for all traditional rulers in Yoruba land to voice out in support of their son to be president of the country, noting that, this is the only way to demonstrate that they have interest of Yoruba at heart.
Olugbon noted that there are 444 ethnic groups in Nigeria, asking how a Fulani man could take over from another Fulani man.
His words, “we have eight governors in the South, five from the South West and two from the South East and one from the South-South, in combination with the 14 APC governors in the North, it is not a joke, I can tell anybody, it is a revolution. The revolution is coming February 25th next month in Oyo State you must be ‘Batified’ for Asiwaju Bola Hameed Tinubu.
“Let me tell you the other person that is going against Asiwaju from another party is a Fulani man, the present president is Fulani man; a Fulani man cannot take over from another Fulani man. After eight years, we have 444 ethnic groups in Nigeria, how will one ethnic group rule this country for 16 years, no way? It will never happen, it is either we break the marriage of Nigeria as an entity or another ethnic group which is Yoruba as represented by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu takes over. Come May 29, 2023 we will usher him as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Oba Francis Olusola Alao said.
Emphasizing that it is the turn of the South to produce a president, the monarch, who is the Vice Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas, said that Tinubu’s nationwide network put him ahead of the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi.
Stating the demands of the Yoruba World Congress Worldwide, the President, Engr. Tajudeen Adigun Raheem listed improved and guaranteed security for the people, country restructure, merging of the Yoruba speaking tribes, assurance of protection across borders and creation of Yoruba Legal Jurisprudence & Regional Apex Court.
Also included in the demands is the creation of regional Inland Revenue Service, regional electricity power generation, regional database, regional communication network and regional deregulation, as well as ascertain every region to be bound by all international protocols, conventions, agreements, treaties and specifically all provisions of the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In their separate remarks, Onifiditi of Fididtiland, Oba Sikiru Akanni Oyelere, President General, Agbekoya, High Chief Kamorudeen Okiki Aremu and leaders of market associations in Ibadan land, Alhaji Dauda Oladepo, Alhaja Sariat Ojikutu and Alhaja Iswat Ameringun , as well as representatives of various youth organizations, appealed to all Yoruba people to come out en mass on February 25th, 2023 to use their Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) to elect the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president.
They maintained that this period is another golden opportunity for the Yorubas to correct the past experiences of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO).
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
