- Better Oyo Movement (BOM), a sociopolitical group committed to the development of the state has commended governors of Northern extraction on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for their unalloyed support for their party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, premised largely on their stance on power shift to the South, in furtherance of their belief in the unity of Nigeria.
BOM recalled that no fewer than 10 of the governors from the North made their stance public, in a joint statement released sometimes in June, 2022. Those who signed the statement included Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Prof. Umara Zulum (Borno), Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and a former governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Magatakarda Wammako.
Their statement, highlighted by BOM read: “After careful deliberations, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria.
“It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in any way affected by the decisions taken by another political party. We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.
“We, therefore, wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states. We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries. We are delighted by the decision of our esteemed colleague, His Excellency, Governor Abubakar Badaru, to contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration”.
The group, whose release was signed by its Chairman, Dr. Femi Fakunle and Secretary, Engr. Tunji Hammed, therefore, noted that in continuation of that firm position, Northern governors have continued to support Asiwaju Tinubu fully, and are expected to come through for him in the Saturday, 25 February, 2023.
“This support showed that these governors are men of honour, and one who can be relied upon. We salute them, and wish them well in their political endeavours, praying the Almighty to bless them in all they do.
“Their stance isn’t only commendable, it deserves recognition from all men and women of goodwill, especially considering how the main opposition party, the PDP, chose to neglect the unity of Nigeria, and remains unperturbed by the possibility of a Fulani, succeeding another Fulani after 8 years, in a multiethnic society like Nigeria’s, oblivious of the sociopolitical and economic dislocations such insensitive succession can cause.
“Therefore, we reiterate our support for the Jagaban Borgu, and urge all Nigerians, irrespective of religion or region, to troop out on Saturday, 25 February, 2023, and vote him as president, in support of power shift to the South, as recommended by Northern governors and towards the promotion of Nigeria’s unity,” the group said.