2023 Presidency: Ekiti Speaker absent as South West Speakers storm Ibadan, rally support for Tinubu

The current and former speakers of the State Houses of Assembly in the South West geo-political zone have agreed to unite in support of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The speakers stormed Ibadan, the Oyo state capital on Wednesday, to drum support for the presidential ambition of Bola Tinubu.

The meeting, which was organised by the BAT Foundation, held in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state, on Wednesday, January 13, with the participants concluding that they all need to collectively project Tinubu ahead of 2023.

Tinubu, who is the National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), ruled Lagos State governor between 1999 and 2007.

Our correspondent reports that no fewer than twenty current and past Speakers in the States’ Assemblies in the region attended the meeting on Wednesday.

Those in attendance at the meeting include Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa of Lagos, his Ogun state counterpart, Olawale Oluomo.

Others speakers and former speakers present at the meeting also include; former speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji (Lagos), Rt. Hon. Suraju Adekunbi (Ogun), Rt. Hon. Muyiwa Oladipo (Ogun), Rt. Hon. Asimiyu Alarape (Oyo), Rt. Hon. Prof Mojeed Alabi (Osun), Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan (Ondo), Rt. Hon. Kenneth Olawale (Ondo), and Rt. Hon. Kola Adefemi, pioneer Speaker of Ekiti state.

Others are; Rt. Hon. Taofiq Abdulsalam (Ondo), Rt. Hon. Oluwasegunota Bolarinwa (Ondo), Rt. Hon. Patrick Ajigbolamu (Ekiti), Rt. Hon. Adejare Bello (Osun), Rt. Hon. Jokotola Pelumi (Lagos), Rt. Hon. Gunju Ojo (Oyo), Rt. Hon. Titi Oseni (Ogun), Simeon Olufemi Popoola (Ondo deputy speaker), and Wale Afolabi.

Though, three current speakers; Funminiyi Afuye (Ekiti), Timothy Owoeye (Osun) and Bamidele Oleyelogun (Ondo) were absent.

Our correspondent recalls that some loyalists of the former Governor had last year visited two traditional rulers in Oyo State, drumming support for Tinubu.

Obasa, who is the convener of the meeting held in Ibadan on Wednesday, noted that all former and current Speakers in the region had taken it upon themselves to support Tinubu presidency in 2023.

The Lagos State Speaker added that Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) Foundation is meant to break the shackles of poverty in the country.

Obasa who stated that though Tinubu has not given the go-ahead to kickstart any interest in the presidency, there is a need to deliberate on this all important issue on behalf of Tinubu.

According to Obasa, all current and former speakers present should after the meeting go back to their respective states to set up the template that would see to the actualisation Tinubu mandate.

The Lagos state Assembly speaker added that there are plans to replicate the movement in all states in the zone.

He said talks were also ongoing with leaders from the north-central and a meeting would soon hold in Abuja for further discussions.

Contributing, Titi Oseni, who was the only woman at the meeting, described Tinubu as a generous man.

She recalled how Tinubu supported her when she aspired to contest an election for the Senate.

On his part, former Ogun speaker, Bashorun Muyiwa Oladipo, said in politics, no level of support is disregarded.

He also noted that currently across the country, it is difficult to see anyone who can match Tinubu politically.

The National Coordinator of BAT Movement, Ambassador Aliyu Saulawa, emphasized that the movement is ready to ensure power shift to the southwest and to be clinched by Tinubu.

He lauded Tinubu’s option of supporting President Muhammadu Buhari rather than former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who would have done anything for Tinubu, to win his support.

Saulawa said, “What was resolved at the meeting include, that power must shift to the south and that the southwest must produce the next president.

“That Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, being a Yoruba man with the capacity, experience and means should be the candidate to be supported to emerge as the next president of Nigeria.

“That Asiwaju Tinubu still needs to do more networking in Yoruba land, especially amongst serving and past governors so that voices of dissent can be reduced to the barest minimum.

“That all stakeholders here present should go back home and start the Asiwaju Tinubu presidential project pending when he will come out public to agree to contest.”

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