The leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, has said that Peter Obi, and not former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, should be elected president in 2023.
Adebanjo, who said the leadership of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) is fully in support of Obi’s aspiration, noted that justice, equity and inclusiveness demand that the next president should come from the South East.
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The elder statesman, who spoke in an interview with Daily Trust, said the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) represented a rallying point for all Nigerians against bad governance.
Atiku is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Tinubu is the flag bearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“On the principle of rotation, what nullified Tinubu is because South West has had its own; South-South has also had its own, why not the South East? It is not a case of a Muslim-Muslim ticket. Tinubu is a very good and qualified candidate but what disqualified him is the fact that we can’t say we believe in rotation, you have had two bites on a piece when one of you has not had a bite.
“The same thing disqualifies Atiku, after a northerner has ruled us for eight years; you want another northerner to go there? But they want to turn the issue by saying the North East has not had it. They should have protested when Buhari was coming back that North West ha had it,” he said.
While noting that he is not a member of the LP, Adebanjo said he is ‘obidient’ a slogan used to describe supporters of Obi.
He argued that people should criticise his choice based on the principle of fairness and not sentiment.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, led by its President, Chief Solomon Ogbonna, has commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his support for the Ndigbo in the state; assuring that the Igbos will support his second term because he has fulfilled all the campaign promises he made in 2019 to them.
Ogbonna during a meeting of leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo led and Ohanaeze Political Forum with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Lagos House, Marina, said that the Igbos must support Sanwo-Olu and APC.
“In 2023 elections, we will support Sanwo-Olu for second term and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for president. If we have a governor of APC in Lagos and the same party at the federal level, it will be in the interest of the Igbo people. Our PVCs will give us the voting strength in APC. We will support Sanwo-Olu’s second term in Lagos because he is extraordinary,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu during the meeting said that the 2023 general elections for Lagos residents, especially the Igbo people should be about who has the best interest of the nation at heart; a person, who over the years has created opportunities without consideration for tribal interests and who has given a genuine platform for people to thrive, live and work well.
From Abiodun Alade & Christiana T. Alabi, Lagos
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