The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Our Choice 2023 (BATOC23), a leading support group for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general election, has commended the initiative by the elders of the South-West zone to ensure that the zone remains as one indivisible entity ahead of the presidential election, AMILOADED reports.
The meeting, which is being convened by Chief Bisi Akande and Chief Olusegun Osoba, former Governors of Osun and Ogun states respectively, as well as other party stakeholders, is expected to have all presidential aspirants from the zone in attendance.
Tinubu, APC National Leader, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former Governor of Ogun State who have all declared interest to contest for the presidency under the platform of the party are expected to attend the meeting which will take place this weekend in Lagos.
Dr. Ayo Owoade, Director General of BATOC23, while welcoming the move, noted with expectations that the outcome of the meeting will build a united front ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Owoade also urged the party to avoid mistake in the 2023 presidential election and “go for a candidate, who can unite the people and develop the country”.
He said fairness and justice should be the watchword of APC in the zone in picking its candidate for the presidential election.
While urging the conveners of the meeting to build a united front for the South-West to take over power from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, he advised that in-fighting, internal wrangling and crisis will not help APC to achieve its desired result in the forthcoming presidential election.
“BATOC23 believes that the party, at this time, needs a strong personality with a lot of experience, who can bring the nation together,” he said.
Owoade also called on the party stakeholders from the zone to marshal a strategy for victory while urging all the aspirants to abide by the outcome of the meeting.
He said Chief Akande and Chief Osoba are “well respected across political divides” in the region, adding that he is hopeful that they would bring their wealth of experiences to bear to see that the list of aspirants from South-West is pruned down so that the region does not lose out of the presidential ticket of APC.
He added, “What was really urgently required was for the party to present a candidate with pedigree and clout to salvage the country. The zone needed to field a candidate with the capability to ruthlessly tackle insecurity, unemployment, poverty and other worrisome conditions that plaque Nigeria and Nigerians.
We need someone that will bring succour and joy to every home and for this to happen South West has to put its house in order to occupy this position in 2023 and if we don’t get it right internally, resolving all crisis from within, it may spell doom for our zone in particular and the party in general.”
Owoade, therefore, advised all the aspirants to respect the counsel of the elders and the outcomes of the meeting.
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