SWDSF: Obi Turned Back on South West? By Bolaji O. Akinyemi

South West Development Stakeholders Forum was set up by persons having superior understanding of how modern politics should run to the advantage of their interest, in this wise, South West. Manifestos are programmes of candidates, campaigns are the party’s platform to communicate it. Whereas stakeholders and parley meetings are platforms with candidates to get their commitment to the contracts and offer possible areas of development that their manifesto may not have captured but are dear to people of the South West region. Commendable has been the effort of South West Development Stakeholders Forum before whom the following candidates have appeared,

Kola Abiola of PRP, Omoyele Sowore of AAC, Adebayo Adewole of SDP, Atiku Abubakar of PDP, Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso of NNPP, and Peter Obi who came but turned back, in the words of Mrs Foluso Oyenuga Framo.

Those who appeared have established a bond with the people of South West Nigeria.

Peter Obi was expected on Saturday, 4th February 2023, before then report on the social media had it that pockets of crisis were brewing in some parts of the city as a result of the fuel scarcity compounded by the search for the new naira note.

I was to travel to Ibadan on Saturday for an appointment with the Prophet of a new Nigeria, Isa El-Buba against Sunday. Which was shelved on the need to stay safe.
Unconfirmed reports have it that Obi had difficulty landing in Ibadan because approval to land at Liberty stadium couldn’t be gotten from Minister of Sports, Mr Sunday Dare. The approval to land at Lead City University a private facility was an uncomfortable distance to the venue. Adhoc arrangements got him to land safely at a location at the back of Jogor. Obi/Datti Campaign Director General, Akin Osuntokun was already on ground and met with Obi, it is believed that it was him who gave the information, which the Pilot acted on that Ibadan was unsafe and Obi wasn’t allowed to leave where the chopper landed. He was immediately flown to Abeokuta where another meeting was scheduled for same day.

Report has it that the crowd at Jogor Events Centre has been unprecedented since the parley with Presidential Candidates started. Ibadan being the political headquarters of Yoruba people of South West Nigeria, deserve to be rewarded for coming out to interact with the LP Presidential Candidate. The organizers were said to have arranged with Security personnel to ensure his safety. DSS officers and Police Escorts were provided for his entourage but the DG, apparently was guided by the security report on Ibadan and the pressure from Abeokuta where former President Obasanjo and Baba Adebanjo were among the people waiting to receive him.

Official statement on Mr Peter Obi’s parley with the South West Development Stakeholders Forum in Ibadan issued on the 4th of February 2023, read thus:

“The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, arrived Ibadan, at 12.42pm for his Parley with the South West Development Stakeholders Forum (SWDSF).
However, shortly after disembarking from the helicopter that brought him, he held discussions with his Campaign officials, and left thereafter.
Sources close to Mr. Obi said there were concerns about security”.

The report wasn’t signed but a call to one of the Main Officers of SWDSF, Mrs Foluso Oyenuga Framo, an astute politician in her own right, and Governorship candidate of People’s Party of Nigeria, PPN in one of the past Osun State election. My associate on political education who led iWalk in Oyo state, she confirmed the report as stated. Southwest is ready to hear Obi’s development programme for the region, it is left to Obi to honour the people and make himself available.

Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder, President, Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener, Apostolic Round Table.
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bolajiakinyemi66@gmail.com