A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Femi Babalola, at the weekend berated the South-West leaders of the party for insisting that the presidency must come to the South in 2023.

The PDP leaders in the region had last week at their caucus meeting, which took place at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, supported the call by the southern governors that the presidency must come to the South next year.

But responding to questions from Aanuoluwapo Omorinde on Bottom Line – a political programme on IBR 92.5FM Ibadan, Babalola described the leaders as hypocritical, wondering why none of the participants at the meeting called for the zoning of political offices in states as well.

He was particular about Oyo State where four of the five governors produced in the state hailed from Ibadan.

The political leader also said that the next governor of Oyo State in 2023 would not be produced by Ibadan zone as the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde hails from Ibadan, the state capital.

Babalola said concerned parties were working behind the scene to make this possible, adding that Ibadan has had more than enough shots at the Agodi Government House.

He said: “Write today’s date down. Someone from another zone apart from Ibadan will emerge the governor of Oyo State in 2023. I don’t know which zone will produce the next governor and who this person will be but, mark my words, it will happen.

“Some leaders in this state have bought into this and they are working to make this a reality. We don’t want it to get to the level it has got to in Nigeria here in Oyo State. I mean, we don’t need to wait till other zones in the state start agitations before the rightful thing is done.”

He noted that the story is different in other states in the South-West as other people from different zones in these states have emerged governor, adding that the jinx will be broken in Oyo State come 2023.