The former and incumbent Houses of Assembly Speakers across the South-West geopolitical zone on Thursday endorsed the National Leader of All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu for 2023 presidency.
The Speakers made this known in a meeting organized by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) Foundation in Ibadan, Oyo State.
After the Lagos State Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa formally introduced BAT Foundation and Movement, the Speakers concluded they all need to collectively project Tinubu ahead of 2023
The speakers, who were up to 20 agreed on some far-reaching resolutions to actualise Tinubu’s presidential aspiration.
Obasa, who convened the meeting, said the BAT Foundation was meant to break the shackles of poverty in Nigeria and create a coordinated humanitarian image for the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He claimed that though Tinubu had not given the nod to their plan, “there is a need to deliberate on this all-important issue on behalf of Tinubu.”
Obasa said: “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 agenda of an Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidency come 2023.
“An address by Ambassador Aliyu Saulawa, national coordinator of BAT Movement, was emphatic in the movement’s readiness to ensure power shifts to the South West and to be clinched by Tinubu.”
He lauded Tinubu’s option of embracing principle by supporting President Muhammadu Buhari rather than former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who would have done anything for Tinubu to win his support.”
Other issues resolved at the meeting include the need for power to shift to the South and that the South-West must produce the next president and that Tinubu, being a Yoruba man with the capacity, experience, competence and means should be the candidate to be supported to emerge as the next president of Nigeria.
The speakers also resolved that Tinubu still needed to do more networking in Yoruba land, especially among serving and past governors, so that voices of dissent could be reduced to the barest minimum.
Stakeholders present at the meeting were asked to go back home and start the Asiwaju Tinubu presidential project pending when Tinubu would come out to agree to contest.
All the speakers present were charged to commence beneficial political interaction with traditional rulers across the South West on the issue.
Those in attendance at the meeting include former Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji (Lagos), Rt. Hon. Suraju Adekunbi (Ogun), Rt. Hon. Muyiwa Oladipo (Ogun), Rt. Hon. Asimiyu Alarape (Oyo), Rt. Hon. Prof Mojeed Alabi (Osun), Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan (Ondo), Rt. Hon. Kenneth Olawale (Ondo), and Rt. Hon. Kola Adefemi, pioneer Speaker of Ekiti state.
Others include: Rt. Hon. Taofiq Abdulsalam (Ondo), Rt. Hon. Oluwasegunota Bolarinwa (Ondo), Rt. Hon. Patrick Ajigbolamu (Ekiti), Rt. Hon. Adejare Bello (Osun), Rt. Hon. Jokotola Pelumi (Lagos), Rt. Hon. Gunju Ojo (Oyo), Rt. Hon. Titi Oseni (Ogun), Simeon Olufemi Popoola (Ondo Dep Speaker), and Wale Afolabi
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