Working at cross-purposes detrimental to yoruba interest — Olubadan

• APC Chieftain Cautions Presidential Aspirants Against Denigrating Comments
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, yesterday, said the need for oneness and unity among various groups was imperative in view of the current political climate, “where the Yoruba is clamouring for the Presidency in 2023.”

Olubadan palace

Balogun made the call while hosting the leadership of the Yoruba Progressive Forum (YPF), who paid him a visit at his Alarere residence.

In a related development, the immediate past National Vice Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Southwest Zone, Pastor Bankole Oluwajana, yesterday, urged presidential aspirants and their supporters on the platform of the party, to desist from the campaign of calumny.

Oluwajana, who spoke with The Guardian, said any aspirant and supporters denigrating the other, is an enemy of APC and Nigeria. He said such should not be allowed.

Oluwajana expressed concern over what he described as “dangerous tantrums,” which some party presidential aspirants and their reporters have condescended to, in a desperate attempt to destroy one another.

He urged the APC leadership, especially President Muhammadu Buhari, to caution those found wanting in the act.

The monarch said irrespective of what might have been the founding philosophy of the various groups working for Yoruba interests, they had to forge a common front through which the common, collective and desired goal of the Yoruba race could be achieved.

The YPF National Coordinator, Abdullateef Olalekan, said the group visited to congratulate the monarch on his ascension to the throne.

Olalekan said: “Ever before Asiwaju Bola Tinubu declared his intention to run for the topmost office in the land, our group had gone round the six geo-political zones of the country to test his acceptability. We are happy to inform the Kabiyesi that the outcome of our test was outstandingly awesome.

‘’Thus, with his eventual declaration, we are convinced that our efforts would yield the desired result. That’s why we have come for royal blessings.”

Oluwajana continued: “It beats my imagination that some aspirants could have descended so low to attack one another with denigrating comments, forgetting that whatever negative adjective we use to qualify ourselves in the quest to get the party’s ticket would be used against the APC by other political platforms during next year’s elections.

“Since they want to offer themselves for service to the party and largely to Nigerians, destruction of any Nigerian or Nigerians or another party member should not be used. It really does not worth it. Nigerians know who they want, and what they want. We should allow the people to make their choices.”
He urged all South West aspirants to lead by example, noting that politics of bad belly would not take the zone anywhere.