Yoruba Nation, the umbrella organisation for the liberation and independence of the South West geopolitical region, has declared that it will not support Bola Tinubu for president of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a recent discussion with a few journalists, Prof. Banji Akintoye, the President of Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO) and the head of the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement (YSDM), insisted that the struggle for Yoruba nation would continue and would be successful before the general elections in 2023.
He pointed out that the movement is not opposed to Tinubu’s ambition because it is his right to seek the highest political office in the land, but that it is opposed to his ambition because of the goals of the Yoruba nation cause.
“There is nothing wrong with our big brother, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, trying to become the president of Nigeria,” he declared. But we wouldn’t give up on the Yoruba nation because of him, just as we couldn’t ask him to give up on his own campaign for the Yoruba country. Therefore, we are dealing with two parallel lines inside the same nation and population. Being attentive, professional, and proper in our management of the Yoruba self-determination fight is what we must do. In 2023, we don’t anticipate being in Nigeria. Moreover, by God’s grace, we won’t be in Nigeria in 2023.
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“So, our brother, who aspires to lead Nigeria, must refrain from attempting to harm us. We will not attempt to harm him. We have created highly sophisticated methods for reaching out to the young of Yorubaland. They have a plan in mind if they are going on a rally. If the cops order you to move, don’t stay where you are. There, hold your rally. After that, depart the area. Our enemy are not the police. They are young males, just like us, who applied for jobs and were hired as police officers”.
“Both we and they have nothing against one another. Therefore, never resist the police. Additionally, Yoruba lads will never be found engaging in military or police combat. That much education has been provided for our youth. Therefore, it is the same with our compatriots who wish to change through Nigerian elections in 2023. The campaign of these our kinsmen will never be harmed by the boys who support the Yoruba self-determination movement. Therefore, we demand that the campaign of these our kin must not aim to undermine the Yoruba people’s fight for self-determination. The decision must be left to our people, and the two streams must flow freely”.
