Former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has backed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term ahead of the 2027 general election.

He said there is a need for Nigerians to observe the country’s power rotation principle in the Presidency.

Like the former governor, erstwhile House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mike Okiro have stated the need for power to remain in the South till 2031.

Amosun argued that after eight years of northern leadership under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, it’s the South’s turn to retain power for another round of four years to complete the region’s eight years.

The former governor and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) spoke yesterday at the Ake Pavilion in Abeokuta, the state capital, as a part of the celebrations marking his 68th birthday.

The celebrations turned out to be a show of his never-slowing political strength as the mini-stadium was filled with his loyalists and associates.

Some of the APC leaders and loyalists at the event included the former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Lekan Adegbite; the immediate past Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), Sarafa Tunji Isola; former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor Tunde Lemo; Senator Iyabo Anisulowo; Senator Gbenga Obadara, among others.

Amosun stated that in the interest of the political health of the nation, the power rotation arrangement should be strictly adhered to, not breached.

The former governor also reaffirmed his membership of the APC and contributions to the party in the state as well as the contributions of Aremo Oluesgun Osoba to the development of the Gateway State.

He stressed that when talking of APC structure in Ogun, he and Osoba remain the only foundation members.

Amosun said he would not destroy what (APC) he helped to build in the state.

The former governor applauded President Tinubu’s robust representation of the South, particularly his Southwest roots, stressing the need for Nigerians to respect the rotational arrangement.

He said: “In the interest of Nigeria, we should observe the rotation. The South has been waiting for its turn, and with President Tinubu at the helm, we’re on the right path.

“We’re proud of our heritage, and we won’t let anyone destroy our progress,” Amosun stated in backing President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

“In the interest of Nigeria, we should observe the rotation, in the sense that if the North takes the presidency this time, the South will have to take it the next time. The last president from the North was President Muhammadu Buhari. He did how many years? Eight years.”

Now, it is our turn in the South, and we have in the South, President Tinubu. Is there now someone representing all of us in Nigeria, primarily, but he’s from where? The Southwest! So, it’s representing all of us in the South. So, it’s indeed a good idea for anybody who loves Nigeria to agree that whatever we are doing, we should respect that rotational arrangement.

“That is why today, just like what I said when we were having our convention that time, not only in the interest of maybe even Asiwaju now or even any of us but in the interest of all of us in Nigeria.

“So, I want to inform all of you: I have read a lot of things, but I want everybody to know if we say A, that is our A; if we say B, it would be B. We told them that we are what we are. In any case, in this Ogun State, how can they talk about APC without talking about Amosun? With all respect to all our leaders and our elders, I think probably the only person who will say in this Ogun State, when we were forming APC, was in the forefront, is Olusegun Osoba. When you take Osoba, who you will take next is me. That is why you do not destroy what you have built.”

Amosun had told his loyalties across the state to remain committed to the APC structure, expressing optimism about President Tinubu’s policy.

Also, prayer sessions were held at his home at Ibara GRA. Amosun also visited some correctional facilities in Abeokuta, Ilaro, Sagamu, and Oba, where he shared foods and other items with the inmates.

Speaking last night on a national television programme, Dogara urged northern politicians to allow the South to complete its eight-year tenure.

He was responding to the ambition of former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to run for the presidency in 2027.

He said: “Atiku, like every other Nigerian, has the right to run for office. But for the sake of fairness and equity, the South should be allowed to complete their eight-year tenure after which power would return to the North.”

The former Speaker also talked about the killings in the North, saying: “This issue is something that the Christians and Muslims can solve. They should work together and resolve this matter. The overall interest should be the progress and betterment of this nation. We are one, and we should strive for peace and progress.”

Also, Okiro said no President in Nigeria’s history has governed with so much courage as the President has exhibited.

The former IGP told reporters on Saturday evening in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, that President Tinubu came to power in the midst of challenges and has been tackling them gradually.

Okiro was in Ibadan to endorse President Tinubu for a second term and to inaugurate a support group, Grassroots Mobilisation for Tinubu (GMT).

He explained that President Tinubu’s policies in every sector have been yielding fruit after taking some critical decisions.

Okiro assured fellow Nigerians that the nation would be much better by the end of President Tinubu’s tenure.

The former IGP recalled that the legacies and antecedents of Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos State were enough to show his stuff and what the country should expect by the end of eight years.

Okiro said: “The legacies he left in Lagos are still there. As President, he has been governing with courage. No other president in Nigeria has ever been bold to govern this way.

“He took critical decisions from subsidy removal to various others. It was harsh on Nigerians at first, but all is gradually taking shape and yielding positive results now.

“Nigerians should remain very patient and support him for a second term. I am confident that he would have taken Nigeria to where it ought to be at the end of his second term.”

As a former police boss, Okiro assessed the level of insecurity in the country.

He expressed optimism that it would soon be over, praising the President for the efforts made so far in tackling the challenges.

Okiro, who led the nation’s police force from 2007 to 2009, spoke on the giant strides recorded in the area of security in Lagos State under Tinubu’s watch.

The former IGP recalled that he met Tinubu as governor of Lagos State and could boldly say that Asiwaju’s security architecture accounted for the peaceful atmosphere enjoyed in Lagos today.

Insecurity is an ill-will that does no one any good, irrespective of age, gender, or status. We must commend the President for efforts so far.

“I am optimistic that with the ongoing efforts, insecurity will soon be reduced to the barest minimum if not totally wiped out,” he said.

Okiro, who is also the Maradin Hausawa of Ibadan, paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Sarkin Sasa in Ibadan.

On his entourage were Northern Youth and Elder’s Awareness Forum National Coordinator Mahmud Sani Yerima; Northwest Zonal Coordinator Umar Sani Nalema, as well as Alhaji Isa Bawa Isa, Alhaji Muhammad Shehu, and Alhaji Abdullahi Ahmad. (The Nation)