BY REBECCA AJANI
SOME former and present Speakers of South West State Legislatures, led by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, have declared their support for the 2023 presidential bid of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, if he declares his intention to run.
The present and former Speakers, including Deputy Speakers, while calling for zoning of power to the South West in 2023, also stressed the need for unity in the zone.
They made their position known at a meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, convened by Obasa, who introduced the Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) Foundation and Movement to attendees.
They said the zone should produce the next President in 2023 to pave the way for equity, fairness and justice in APC and in the country as a whole.
Obasa said the BAT Foundation had a mandate to propagate Tnubu’s ideals, and commended the former Lagos governor for supporting President Muhammadu Buhari during the first APC primary, and in 2019.
About 20 speakers, deputy speakers, former speakers, and other stakeholders agreed that Tinubu had paid his dues in the Nigerian political space and called for support for him if he declares his presidential ambition.
According to them, more networking still needs to be done among South West leaders for this purpose.
Those who attended the meeting included: Olakunle Oluomo (Ogun Speaker); Adeyemi Ikoforiji (former Lagos Speaker); Suraju Adekunbi (former Ogun Speaker); Muyiwa Oladipo (former Ogun Speaker); Asimiyu Alarape (former Oyo Speaker); Prof Mojeed Alabi (former Osun Speaker); Ayo Agbonmusemi (Ondo); Victor Olabimtan (Ondo); Kenneth Olawale (Ondo); Kola Adefemi (former Ekiti Speaker).
Others were: Taofiq Abdusalam (Ondo); Oluwasegunota Bolarinwa (Ondo); Patrick Ajigbolamu (Ekiti); Adejare Bello (former Osun Speaker); Wale Afolabi; Jokotola Pelumi (former Lagos State Speaker); Simeon Olufemi Popoola (Osun Deputy Speaker); J. Gunju (former Oyo Speaker and Titi Oseni (former Ogun Speaker).
