Former and current Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly in the South-West geo-political zone of the country, stormed Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to drum support for the Presidential ambition of Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC,
It was gathered that no fever than 20 current and past Speakers in the States’ Assemblies in the region attended the meeting.
Among those present were the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, former Speakers of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Mojeed Alabi and Hon. Najeem Salam, former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Asimiyu Alarape, and former Speakers from Ondo and Ekiti States, among others.
Obasa, who was the Convener of the meeting, noted that all former and current Speakers in the region, had taken it upon themselves to support the Tinubu Presidency in 2023.
The Lagos State Speaker added that the 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 of the Tinubu mandate.
The National Coordinator of the BAT Movement, Ambassador Aliyu Saulawa, emphasised that the movement is ready to ensure power shift to the South-West, 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 South-West 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 among 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 publicly to agree to contest.”