Sola Ebiseni, a prominent ally of Peter Obi in the Southwest and Secretary-General of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has joined the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ebiseni, who served as the Southwest Coordinator of Obi’s Presidential Campaign Council during the 2023 election, also declared full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He made his position known when he met with Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the Government House in Akure in the early hours of Thursday.
The APC State Chairman, Kolawole Babatunde, attended the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, Ebiseni said his decision to join the APC was partly based on the argument that the presidency should remain in the South in the interest of political stability.
The Afenifere scribe, while declaring his support for Tinubu’s second term, said the incumbent President has reformed the country’s economy and deserves re-election.
Follow us for breaking news:
👉 JOIN WHATSAPP CHANNEL“First and foremost and for the avoidance of any doubt, our declaration today for the President’s second term is in tandem with the views of most Nigerians and political gladiators that the office of the President should still be in southern Nigeria in the interest of the political stability of the federation,” he said.
Ebiseni, a former Labour Party (LP) chieftain, further noted that Tinubu was not the only presidential aspirant from the South, but argued that the President’s existing policies and programmes provided continuity that could be built upon during a second term.
According to him, replacing the administration with a new government could introduce new policies whose benefits might not mature within four years.
Ebiseni, however, backed the removal of the fuel subsidy, disclosing that major presidential candidates in the 2023 election had promised to end the subsidy regime.
“Whatever anyone may say about the removal of subsidy, which all frontline Presidential candidates promised in 2023, its retention would have spelt doom, particularly for the states which were already lying prostrate in the discharge of their responsibilities to the citizens,” he said.
He further argued that Tinubu needed another term to consolidate some of the administration’s socio-economic and security initiatives, including the proposed State Police and the expansion of Nigerian Army divisions.
On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Ebiseni described the project as particularly important to the people of the Ilaje coastal communities in Ondo State.
“Politics is local, and as a leader of my Ilaje coastal people of Ondo State, this road is the most significant life-changing project for us, and I am here to join President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for its full implementation, particularly its proper coastal alignment in the state.”
Ebiseni added, “To us, therefore, who are given much by the President, much more is expected in terms of support for his re-election.”
Earlier, Governor Aiyedatiwa assured Ebiseni and his supporters that they would be integrated into the APC campaign structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The governor said Ebiseni’s political experience, grassroots presence and roles in socio-cultural organisations would add value to the campaign for Tinubu’s re-election.
Aiyedatiwa said, “We know you as one of our leaders in the state, and your political activities across the state, as well as your roles in Afenifere and other socio-cultural organisations in the country, will be an added advantage and value to the tasks ahead of us.”
He said the presence of the APC chairman at the meeting was to demonstrate the party’s readiness to integrate Ebiseni and his supporters into its campaign structure.
The Nation reports that the declaration marks a significant shift from his political role during the 2023 presidential election, when he served in Obi’s campaign structure in the Southwest.
WARNING: If You Are Not 18+, Don’t Click The Link Below 👇🫣
Did you want to monetize your website, join MONETAG or ADSKEEPER and start earning
Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it.
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.
Never Miss A Single News Or Gist, Kindly Join Us On WhatsApp Channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vad8g81Eawdsio6INn3B
Telegram Channel:
https://t.me/gistsmateNG