2027: Oluwo rallies North’s support for Tinubu

FILE: President Bola Tinubu.

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has appealed to ‘power brokers’ in the North to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election and allow him to complete two terms in office.

Oba Akanbi said the move would promote fairness and strengthen the relationship between the two regions.

According to him, the relationship between the North and the South-West is rooted in a long-standing understanding, adding that the bond should be sustained beyond political affiliations.

The monarch stated this in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, and made available to The PUNCH on Thursday.

Oluwo said the South-West supported the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who spent eight years in office, maintaining that the North should also reciprocate the gesture by supporting Tinubu to complete two terms.

“President Bola Tinubu, being a Yoruba man from the South-West, deserves eight years in office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria after his predecessor, late Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, who also spent eight years in office.

“One other motivating reason for the northerners to support and vote for President Bola Tinubu is the historical understanding and relationship between the North and the South-West, known to be Yorubas.

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“Both the North and the South-West have built an uncompromising understanding that must be sustained beyond political lines. In the South-West, we supported late President Muhammadu Buhari to rule Nigeria for eight years. The North should pay back. After President Tinubu’s eight years, we will return the power to them,” the statement read.

Oba Akanbi described the North and the South-West as “perfect role models for a united Nigeria,” stressing that the relationship between the two regions should not be disrupted by political competition.

He added, “The North and the South-West are perfect role models for a united Nigeria. They both have a heavenly bond that cannot be distracted by artificial contest. We are the cement that bonds the nation together.

“This understanding informed my royal marriage from Northern Nigeria.”

The monarch also expressed confidence that power rotation between the regions would contribute to national unity.

Oluwo stressed that allowing Tinubu to complete eight years would give the President sufficient time to implement his policies and reforms.

“I have strong hope that the power rotation will cement the unity of Nigeria. I equally express strong assurance that the eight years will allow the President to complete his reformative policies that will benefit all and sundry, irrespective of their political and cultural attachments,” he said.