The Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has expressed happiness over the declaration of interest by Bola Tinubu to run for the presidency come 2023.
It described Tinubu’s declaration as a good development.
In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Bayo Aina, he said the Southwest had been placed in a position to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
Tinubu had informed Buhari of his intention to run for the presidency in 2023.
He disclosed this after a meeting with the President at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.
However, Aina said Afenifere would work with traditional, religious leaders, and other major stakeholders to ensure that the Southwest remains is unmatched in 2023.
“We are happy that the South West zone wholly embraced the APC, since 2015 and this has enabled the zone to participate as an equal stakeholder with other zones in the affairs of the Nation. This has now placed the zone in a pivotal position to produce the successor to President Buhari.
“This development has vindicated our position when we asked the south west to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 and 2019 elections.
“Going forward, we have no doubt that many persons across the six geopolitical zones may also indicate an interest in contesting for the highest office in the land. We must all be ready to face this reality.
“We appeal to the various contestants to run the race with mutual respect, dignity, sportsmanship and genuine “Omoluabi” ethos such that Nigeria in general and the Southwest particularly will even be more united as we approach the 2023 election. We must avoid a fractricidal engagement by all means,” he said.
