2023: How we pressurised Tinubu to join presidential race — Osoba, Olusi, others

2023: How we pressurised Tinubu to join presidential race — Osoba, Olusi, others

•As Yoruba monarchs, elders, others endorse APC candidate

Former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba and other political leaders in South-West, on Monday in Lagos, revealed how the All Progressives Congress (APC), Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was pressurised to vie for president of Nigeria in the 2023 General Election.

Osoba and other leaders made the revelation 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 disclosed that all Yoruba traditional rulers were involved in the project to make Tinubu president of Nigeria right from inception, 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 was not 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 tenure 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 had worked tirelessly to justify the confidence we have in him,” Osoba said.

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 is also chairman of the submit; Arh. Bishop Ayo Oladigbolu, among others, was also used to endorse Tinubu as the sole candidate 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 best interest of Nigeria.

The host governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu also charged Nigerians to support Tinubu and vote for him massively, 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 rulers in Yorubaland had endorsed Tinubu as president and were already working and mobilizing for the APC candidate.

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 cannot leave our son and go and vote for another person. The pronouncements of the Kings have erased whatever they are saying, nobody is above the kings in Yorubaland, and no matter who they are, they are the subject of a king in Yorubaland. If they refuse to listen to we the traditional rulers, they will be placed where they belong,” he said.

The APC presidential candidate, 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 needed 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 next president of the country.