South-West governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are expected to attend a meeting at the Lagos House, Marina, on Sunday, May 23, 2021, amid raging calls for secession.
The meeting, it was learnt, is being convened by a former interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande.
Those expected to attend the meeting are: Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; APC stalwart, Bola Tinubu; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; his Ogun State counterpart, Dapo Abiodun; Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
Others invited to the meeting include Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum; the Chairman, Police Service Commission, Musiliu Smith; a former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Alani Akinrinade; and former APC South-West Vice Chairman, Pius Akinyelure.
The invite read in part, “Notice of Meeting: A lot has happened in our country since the last time we met, I hereby formally invite you for a meeting on the state of the nation as follows: Date: Sunday, May 23, 2021. Time: 2pm. Venue: Lagos House, Marina. Lagos. Subject: Review of State of Nation.”
Although the agenda of the meeting was not stated, our correspondent was informed that the meeting was convened to address calls for secession in the light of the activities of personalities like Sunday Igboho and others.
An aide to one of the invited governors said, “My governor received the letter too. We were not told the reason for the meeting but we learnt that it is connected to the calls for secession, insecurity and the need for better South-West unity ahead of 2023.”
The South-West has been championing the demand for restructuring and particularly fiscal federalism.
The zone, which is a major contender for the Presidency in 2023, has witnessed a recent rise in irredentism which has led to the expulsion of Fulani from some communities.
On Saturday, agitators under the aegis of Omo Oduduwa United stormed the streets in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, to demand secession from Nigeria.
One of the leaders of Yoruba nation agitators, Igboho, threatened that there would be no election in the South-West come 2023. – Punch.
