Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
The South West geopolitical zone’s umbrella body has stated that it will not support the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Prof. Banji Akintoye, President of Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO) and leader of the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement (YSDM), stated this in a recent interview with select journalists.
Prof. Akintoye insists that the agitation for Yoruba Nation will not end and that it will be completed before the 2023 general elections.
He did, however, state that the group was not opposed to the former governor’s ambition because he has every right to run for president, but the objectives of the Yoruba nation’s cause are at odds with his ambition.
“Our attitude is this: our big brother, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is battling to become President of Nigeria, and there is nothing wrong with that,” he said. But we would not abandon our struggle for the Yoruba nation because of him, just as we would not ask him to abandon his own campaign for the Yoruba nation.
“So we have two parallel lines in the same country with the same people.” What we must do in dealing with the Yoruba self-determination struggle is to be thoughtful, competent, and proper in our approach. We do not anticipate being in Nigeria in 2023. And, by the grace of God, we will not be in Nigeria in 2023.”
He went on to say that the group had no intention of hurting Tinubu and that he hoped the APC flag bearer would do the same.
He explained that the group is law-abiding and would carry out their campaigns in an orderly manner.
“The boys who support the Yoruba self-determination movement will never harm the campaign of our forefathers.” So, what we are asking is that the campaign of these our kin not be used to undermine the Yoruba self-determination struggle. “The two streams must flow freely, and the decision must be made by our people,” he added.
