Former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba and other political leaders in South-West, on Monday in Lagos, revealed how All Progressives Congress (APC), Presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was pressurised to run for president of Nigeria in the 2023 General Election.
Osoba and other leaders made the disclosure while speaking at the Yoruba and South-West Leaders of Thought Summit which took place at Eko Hotels, Victoria Island.
This was just as a chieftain of APC and convener of the summit, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, in his welcome address, also revealed how the late Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, initiated the summit before his death, to rally support for Tinubu’s candidature.
Olusi further unveiled that all Yoruba traditional monarchs were involved in the master plan to make Tinubu president of Nigeria right from beginning, noting that the monarchs ’involvement was the reason Tinubu was accepted by the majority of the Yoruba and others tribes.
Former Governor Osoba, in his address, said Tinubu joining the presidential race wasn’t his own making but the decision of prominent and progressive politicians from the South-West who pressurised him (Tinubu) to join the race for president.
According to Osoba, the idea that Tinubu should aspire for president of Nigeria was muted at a dinner organised for him after he ended his term in 2007 as governor of Lagos State, saying that many prominent and progressive politicians were at the dinner, held at the popular hotel along Awolowo Road, Ikoyi to honour for his outstanding performance.
It was at the gathering in 2007, we all pressurised him to aspire for president and he agreed, since then, he’d worked diligently to justify the confidence we’ve in him, ”Osoba said.
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The summit which was attended by many prominent politicians and elders, market and religious leaders from the South-West, including the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt.Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; former Ogun State governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who’s also chairman of the submit; Arch. Bishop Ayo Oladigbolu, among others, was also used to endorse Tinubu as the sole aspirant for president.
Others at the event were the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi; Ayangburen of Ikorodu, and Oba Kabiru Sotobi, among others.
They all charged Yoruba to unite for Tinubu, pleading that Nigerians whoever felt Tinubu offended him forgive and forget, but mobilized support for his candidature in the stylish interest of Nigeria.
The host governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu also charged Nigerians to support Tinubu and vote for him big-time, saying that the former governor was the right man for the job of president due to his track records, achievements and plans for Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Akanbi said all the traditional monarchs in Yorubaland had endorsed Tinubu as president and were already working and mobilizing for the APC aspirant.
He charged all the sons and daughters to vote massively for Tinubu because of his contributions, and commitment to developing Nigeria.
We in Yorubaland, we can not leave our son and go and vote for another person. The pronouncements of the Kings have erased whatever they’re saying, nobody is above the kings in Yorubaland, and no matter who they are, they’re the subject of a king in Yorubaland.However, they will be placed where they belong, ”he said, If they refuse to hearken to we the traditional monarchs.
The APC presidential aspirant, Tinubu, who arrives at the venue by 4:30 from Abuja and also left by 5:40 for Abuja to attend a scheduled meeting with President Buhari, urged Nigerians to come to vote for him on Saturday, saying that all that he demanded from them were their massive vote.
Tinubu said he was very happy to meet the hall filled despite coming late and further urged Nigerians to exercise their civic duty by mobilizing their people to vote for him as the coming president of the country.
