The 2023 election gathers momentum with heightening intrigues, leaders and presidential aspirants form the South West geopolitical zone arose from a meeting on Friday night with a firm resolve to produce the next president of Nigeria.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi and Senator Ibikunle Amosun were the APC aspirants who attended the “APC presidential aspirants/stakeholders meeting” of the South West, held at State House, Marina.
Former interim national chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande and former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, had called the meeting last week to meet presidential aspirants under the platform of the APC from South West.
Governors Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo attended the meeting.
Other stakeholders at the meeting are APC national secretary, Iyiola Omisore; minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.
Presidential aspirants that were absent at the meeting include Pastor Tunde Bakare and former Speaker House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole.
The meeting which was held behind closed doors lasted for over two hours.
The presidential aspirants and the South West leaders agreed that the zone must insist on the office of the president and nothing else, even as it was also resolved that the aspirants must work towards actualizing the South West presidency in 2023, even if it means other aspirants stepping down for the popular candidate at the APC presidential primary on May 30.
Speaking on the development, pioneer interim national chairman of the APC and former governor of Osun State, Chief Akande, said the South West is united and has resolved to produce the next president in the 2023 general polls.
Akande who made this known at the end of the meeting said, “The stakeholders had a fruitful, mutual deliberation. We are united as we will ensure that presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come to South .We also resolved that everybody should maintain absolute decorum. Thank you, no questions.”
