In reaction to Olusegun Osoba’s opinion for caution, Chairman of the South-West Agenda, a group currently mobilising support for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to become the President in 2023, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, has said his group’s mandate to drum support for Asiwaju must continue.
Osoba, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, had on Arise Television Morning Show, on Tuesday, said he was in support of the emergence of someone from the South-West geopolitical zone as President in 2023.
The former governor, who also admitted that Tinubu had the right to vie for the top office, however said that it was too early to zero in on a particular individual to avoid political miscalculation.
But Adeyeye, who spoke with our correspondent in an interview in Abuja, said it was not too early to start mobilising support for Tinubu ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
He said, “I don’t believe that it is too early to start mobilising support for Asiwaju Tinubu now, because 2023 is around the corner. We are already in January 2021; the election, according to the time table of the Independent National Electoral Commission, will take place in February 2023. That means we only have two years to make necessary preparations.
“We should not also forget that the primaries of political parties will take place next year. So, it cannot be too early to start sensitisation for an individual’s candidacy. If you are really serious, this is the best time to start something in a big, highly diversed, multi-ethnic and multi-religious country like Nigeria with very huge population.”
Adeyeye maintained that it was better to start early to boost Tinubu’s chances.
He added, “We believe we have to start our work immediately. That is why we are starting now because Nigeria is fast becoming a much more complex society.
“Time will tell whether what we are doing is right or wrong. We are not actually campaigning but merely sensitising people to the idea of the candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. It is not a bad idea to start telling people that he is the best man for the job.”
Adeyeye recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari started his campaigns early when he wanted to contest on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in 2015.
He said, “There is still a long way to go and that is why we are saying that it is better to start a long journey very early and adequately prepared.
“Chief Segun Osoba could hold his opinion, I will respect him. He is an elder statesman, a highly respected leader and a very successful politician. So, we respect his views and we also believe that on our own part, what we are doing from our own perspective, is the right thing.”