Chief Olusegun Osoba, the former governor of Ogun State, has urged Nigerians to rally behind President Bola Tinubu, emphasizing that his presidency is a collective achievement rooted in Yoruba leadership.
Osoba made this appeal during the All Progressives Congress (APC) South West Zone Assembly meeting at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos. He noted that prominent political figures from the region recognized their vital roles in Tinubu’s rise to power through a viral post on the X platform.
Reflecting on a pivotal moment in 2007, Osoba recounted how South West leaders facilitated Tinubu’s move from state to national politics. “Bola didn’t make himself the President of Nigeria; we did,” he stated. He explained, “Seventeen years ago, after his tenure as governor of Lagos State, we gathered at a luncheon organized by Alhaji Hamsa, our leader at the time. It was during that meeting that we decided Bola should take his place on the national stage to represent Yoruba interests.”
The assembly also revisited the historical struggles of the Yoruba people in their pursuit of national leadership. Osoba recalled, “Many of us here worked tirelessly to support the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s presidential ambitions, but he wasn’t permitted to achieve that goal.” He also reflected on the support for the late MKO Abiola, lamenting their loss and the sacrifices made along the way. “They killed many of us for our vision of a better country. But we thank God that some of us are still here to witness Bola Tinubu’s success.”
Encouraging unity among the assembly and the broader Yoruba community, Osoba called for acceptance of Tinubu’s imperfections. “Now that Bola Tinubu is in office, I urge all of you to embrace his shortcomings. He will improve. After his first term, he will serve another four years as a Yoruba son,” he stated.
Since taking office in 2023, Bola Tinubu has emerged as a central figure in Nigerian politics. Osoba reinforced that “the South West Assembly’s message is clear – the Yoruba leadership stands united behind Tinubu’s presidency and believes in his capacity to fulfill his promises.”