2023: Igbo not ready for presidency – Idimogu

By Sunday Ani

Idimogu stated this yesterday in Lagos at the official launching of a political movement he founded to ensure that Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerges the next president of Nigeria after President Buhari in 2923.

The movement named, Abundance United Movement Lagos State, according to the law maker was launched to market Tinubu and the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, for presidency and the Lagos West Senatorial seat in 2023 respectively.

He said his choice of Tinubu was informed by his achievements in the past.

“The best candidate I know that can rule Nigeria today, irrespective of where he is coming from is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Reasons being that he has been a great achiever. As a governor, the Lagos State federal allocation was seized by the Federal Government under former President Olusegun Obasanjo but he didn’t fidget, rather he tactically formulated a mehanism that boosted the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to such a level that the state never felt that its allocations were seized for over two years. Lagos is what it is today because of him. No state can compete with Lagos as far as IGR is concerned due to the formula he midwifed,” he said.

Stressing that Tinubu could replicate the same magic if he becomes the country’s president, he said: “If he beomes president, in three months, he will replicate the same magic and Nigeria will have a new breath of life. Besides, he is internationally connected and for you to effectively rule a country like Nigeria, you must have international connection; people that can help you to build a great country.”

Idimogu equally commended Tinubu’s ability to harvest talents, saying, “He made a lot of people including me. He is also one of the pillars of democracy. During the NADECO days, he had to run away on self exile when he found out that his life was in danger. He has supporters all over the country, including Hausa,Igbo, Yoruba and others. He is a detribalised Nigerian.

“For now, I have not seen any Nigerian that is as capable as he is to occupy the presidency. Perhaps, such a person might emerge before 2023, but for now, he remains the best and most qualified candidate for the seat.”

He said the movement would also be marketing Obasa for Lagos West Senatorial seat. “Obasa has been a great leader. He has a lot of achievements to his credit. If you want to select the first 10 best legislators in Nigeria, he will be among them. He has enough experience,” he said.

Idimogu premised his position on the fact that the Igbo have not fully embraced the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in the South East as only one state in reality is APC-controlled in the zone.

“APC occupies both the national and state levels but in the South East zone, APC has only one state, Imo. The Ebonyi Governor that defected to APC did not come with his supporters, so you cannot say APC has two states in the zone. And you know that power is not given; it is taken and you must have the number to achieve that. The South East Igbo do not have the number. Almost all the South West states are APC. So, when you tàlk about delegates, the South West will get more than the South East. Except you are talking about the PDP zoning its ticket to the South East because they have the majority in PDP. But for the APC, as far as I am concerned, the Igbo are not ready,” he said.

On the argument that it is the turn of the Igbo to clinch the number one position, the lawmaker said: “Every zone has the right to agitate for the presidency in 2023 but from what I can see on ground, the South East Igbo are not ready. I am a core Igbo man but from what I have seen, the Igbo are not prepared for the presidency. So, my advice for them will be to be concerned about a capable hand that will rule Nigeria, and as far as I am concerned, Tinubu is that capable hand.”

Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Authority (LCDA), Monsuru Bello, charged Lagosians to go for voter registration en mass as that is the only way they can exercise their franchise and actualise their dream of Tinubu becoming the president in 2023. He assured that the entire populace in the local council would work for the victory of the APC in 2023.

Also, the Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Chairman, said with him and the Ejigbo coulcil boss alongside Idimogu, Tinubu and Obasacould go to sleep as victory was assured.

He stated that the APC was deeply rooted in the council areas and with the combined efforts of the trio, whom he said were solidly on ground in the areas, Tinubu and Obasa have no cause to lose sleep about their electoral victory in 2023.