Supporters of the presidential ambition of former Lagos governor intensify campaign
Bank on North-West and South-West zones
By Olanrewaju Olusegun

Following his return from London to Nigeria, where he spent three months on medical treatment, supporters of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have intensified their campaign for his emergence as the party flagbearer in the 2023 presidential election.

There is already high-wired lobbying for the presidency by Tinubu’s supporters across the country.

Although the former Lagos State governor has yet to declare his intention to contest any office in 2023, the indications are becoming clear that he is interested in the exalted seat.

Just last Thursday a day before Tinubu’s return, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, unveiled the state chapter of Southwest Agenda 2023 (SWAGA ‘23), which is the political unit of Tinubu’s campaign.

SWAGA, a group being led by Senator Dayo Adeyeye, is a political movement building a support base for the former Lagos State Governor in anticipation of his interest to contest for president in the 2023 general elections.

However, as the support for Tinubu from the North and South-West seem to be rising daily, there are fears in the camp that the South-South and South-East might be a hard nut to crack for the Tinubu’s team.

A stakeholder of the party from the South-East, Mr Michael Okoro, said the challenge of the Tinubu’s team might be how to penetrate the South-East and South-South.

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He said both regions believe that it is their turn to produce the next president if the ticket is zoned to the south.

Okoro said, “Their major challenge is the South-South and South-East. The South-South believe they should produce the presidency, ditto the South-East, and that the South-West have had their chance before.
“How to penetrate the two regions has become their major headache. Although the bulk of governors from the region are from the Peoples Democratic Party, except for Prof Ben Ayade (Cross River) and David Umahi (Ebonyi), who recently defected from the PDP to the APC.”

Another stakeholder from Bayelsa State, Mr Greenland Udi, said the Tinubu’s team might be looking at getting strong support from Rivers State where there is a sizeable number of registered voters.

“They might be looking at wooing strongholds in Rivers State where they have well over two million registered voters,” he said.

But the support that the National Leader got while on medical treatment in London for the past three months clearly showed that he had huge support from the North and the South-West.

For instance, the bulk of political figures in the party, including President Muhammadu Buhari, visited him. Also, a delegation of the northern caucus in the House, led by the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, visited Tinubu on October 1.

Other members of the northern caucus delegation were the Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; daughter of former President of the Senate, David Mark; Sada Soli, Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Abubakar Fulata; Chairman, House Committee on the Army, Abdulrazak Namdas, among others.

A member of the delegation reportedly said the visit was to endorse Tinubu for president.

It would be noted that no notable South-South or South-East politician visited him while in London.

There are also permutations that all he needs to win an election in the North and South-West which have the bulk. Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, where it is believed he has huge support.

During the unveiling of SWAGA in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu joined full political machinery in the state to host the carnival-like event held at 10 Degree Event Centre in Oregun and attended by political leaders from all divisions of Lagos.
He was accompanied by all members of the State Executive Council, lawmakers in the state House of Assembly, and members of Conference 57 to formally unveil the political group.

Declaring total support for the group’s agenda, Sanwo-Olu said SWAGA was formed based on the belief in Tinubu’s vision and political philosophy that prioritise development of human capital and economy.

The Governor described the APC National Leader as a “core political thinker” of the contemporary generation, noting that Tinubu’s constituency in progressive politics stood him out as a beacon and rallying figure capable of delivering directional leadership to the country in the next dispensation.

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Chairman of SWAGA, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, had during a Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ programme on Friday, said the National Leader of APC, already has 12 million votes in the bag ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Adeyeye said just like Buhari, who gathered 12 million votes from the North before the 2015 elections, Tinubu has at least 12 million votes also from the South-West.

*Tinubu full of joy for returning home safely

Meanwhile, the National Leader of the APC yesterday said he was full of joy as he thanked God for bringing him back to Nigeria safely.

Tinubu addressed his well-wishers, party members at the State House in Marina at a gathering to welcome him home.

He said, “I am a little emotional, but I am happy to be back home. God is the giver of life, and He alone can take it.”

Present at the gathering was the wife of the governor, Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; his wife, Oluremi; a former deputy governor of the state, Mrs Idiat Adebule; Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa; Senator Olamilekan Solomon, among others.