2023: Tinubu’s presidential ambition gathers momentum

By AKINWUNMI KING

As the arguments and agitations about zoning the 2023 presidency continue to gather momentum, politicians within the two major political parties in the country, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have continued to root for candidates whom they believe possess everything to take the country out of its present predicament.

While some are talking about power shifting to the southern part of the country, especially to the South East, there are some individuals who believe that where an aspirant or a candidate comes from should not matter when it comes choosing who becomes the president in 2023.

While the PDP has refused to talk about zoning, majority of those in the ruling APC, are of the view that the gentleman’s agreement reached at the formation stage of the party, should be strictly adhered to, and that is power returning to the South.

In the south-west, many are already rooting for the national leader of the ruling party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom they believe has everything to govern Nigeria better than any other individual.

One of those individuals is the member representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly and the only non-Yoruba lawmaker in the House.

Idimogu, who is of the view that Tinubu is the best person to rule Nigeria from 2023, believes that his own region, the South East, was not ready for the Presidency.

At an endorsement programme held last weekend to launch the campaign for Tinubu’s presidential bid, Idimogu maintained that the Igbos seem not to be prepared for the country’s presidency in 2023.

According to him, “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a great achiever based on records of his achievements as the Governor of Lagos State, and that he is the most qualified person for the nation’s presidency in the next general elections.

“Apart from that, when you look at my history of moving from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu has shown me love and he has been committed to my political ambition.

“So, I felt that the best thing for me to do is for my group, ‘Abundance United Movement, Lagos’ to say a big thank you to him and to tell my people and my supporters to pray for him to emerge, by the special grace of God, as the President of this country come 2023.”

The political movement christened ‘Abundance United Movement, Lagos State’, according to the lawmaker was launched to market Tinubu and also the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, for presidency and the Lagos West Senatorial seat in 2023 respectively.

The programme, which was held at the secretariat of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Ejigbo, had in attendance, the Director-General of Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) Foundation, Hon. Ipoola Omisore, Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, Chairman of Ejigbo LCDA, Monsuru Bello, among other dignitaries.

Speaking further at the event, Idimogu said, “We are also doing this on behalf of my great Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, by the grace of God, he is also aspiring to be the senator of Lagos West in 2023. He has a lot of achievements and he is one of the best 10 legislators in the country as at today.”

The lawmaker said further that everybody and every zone has a right to aspire for any position in 2023, but that by his assessment was that the best person to rule Nigeria from the year, irrespective of where he is coming from, is Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He recalled that when the allocations of the local governments in Lagos State were seized by the then former president Olusegun Obasanjo-led Federal Government, Tinubu came up with a formula, which he said increased the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

“Besides, Tinubu is somebody that has made a lot of people and some of us have benefited from that, and he has been fighting for democracy in Nigeria.

“Tinubu has people all over the country, including Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. For me, he is a detrabilised Nigerian and I have not seen anybody that would be like him. I don’t know what would happen in 2023, but as at today, he is the best candidate to be the next President of Nigeria.

“He was once a Governor and senator. If you put him on that seat, in the next three months, Nigeria would change. He has international connections and that is what a president needs. People that would come and assist you to make the country what you want it to be,” he said.

On the agitations of the people of the South East, Idimogu, who hails from Imo State, said, “The truth is that, with due respect, I am an Igbo man and from what I have seen, the Easterners are not ready for the presidency.

“Right now, APC is at the national level, in the Eastern part of Nigeria, how many APC states do you have? It is just one, Imo State. The Ebonyi Governor that defected to APC did not come with his supporters, so you cannot say APC has two states in the zone, and as you know, power is not given a la carte, you must work for it.

“As far as I am concerned, the South Easterners are not ready. Almost all south western states are APC, apart from one. When you talk of delegates, you have many from the South West. The only thing the South Easterners can do is if the PDP can bring power to their zone because they have been loyal to the PDP. But for APC, as far as I am concerned, they are not ready,” he said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the NURTW Chairman in Lagos, who was the chairman of the occasion, said that Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man of the people, who he said is intelligent and has touched the lives of many people in Nigeria.

Akinsanya, who is popularly referred to as MC Oluomo, urged the Yorubas to support the ambition of Tinubu to be the President of Nigeria in 2023, saying that he will do many things for the country.

“See how many people rallied round Tinubu in the north, when he went there recently. God will do the best for us through him.

“The presidency is sure for us. All of us in Nigeria are one and we will all work together to achieve this aim. I thank you very much Hon. Jude Idimogu, you are a good man and you are a man of the people,” he said

The acclaimed unionist, who enjoined the women at the event to inform the people about Tinubu’s ambition, said that God has signed it that Tinubu will be the next President of Nigeria.

Speaking to journalists at the event, wife of Hon. Idimogu, Mrs. Roseline Enitan Idimogu said that there could be no vote without women and that the women have been supportive of her husband.

“We are happy because we will work with Hon. Jude Idimogu for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa to realize their ambitions.

“Everybody loves Tinubu, he is a man of unity and he loves to help the less-privileged. I want to advise the women to support the APC and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he will make Nigeria a better place,” she said.

Chairman of Ejigbo LCDA, charged Lagosians to go for voter registration as that is the only way they can exercise their franchise and actualise their dream of Tinubu becoming the president in 2023.

Bello assured that the entire populace in the local council would work for the victory of the APC in 2023.

He stated that the APC was deeply rooted in the council areas and with the combined efforts of the trio, whom he said were solidly on ground in the areas, Tinubu and Obasa have no cause to lose sleep about their electoral victory in 2023.  (Daily INDEPENDENT)