A University of Lagos don, Professor Yemi Oke, has described Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the most competent Yoruba leader to become the ruling party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

Professor Oke in his Keynote address, on Tuesday at the launching of the Ogun State Chapter of South West Agenda for Asiwaju Tinubu 2023 (SWAGA ’23) disclosed that there is no leader in the entire South-West Nigeria who can beat Asiwaju’s achievements, hence, the decision of the group to work for his emergence as the APC’s presidential candidate come 2023.

The don explained that the choice of Asiwaju was as a result of his immense contributions to the development of the South-West and the nation in general.

“Should any South-West politician aspire to compete with Asiwaju, “such a person will have to tell us the impact he has made in Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole.

“Nobody is talking about another candidate in the party. Yorubas have come together for one purpose and our message is loud and clear, the next dispensation, we are clamouring for the emergence of a Yoruba man as the next president of this country.

‘We have searched through all major Yoruba politicians, all are qualified no doubt but the best of them is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and that is what has brought us together. In unison, we are saying, Asiwaju should come out and run because of the support in all the states.”

He added, “in the evolution of political engagement in Nigeria, Yoruba people have played very critical roles and we can reflect the tremendous contribution of Tinubu which nobody will doubt.

“Infact, most governors in the country emerged through the help of Tinubu. We believe strongly in the unity of this country without losing the Yoruba agenda.

Also speaking, the National Chairman of the group, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, said the objective of the group is to ensure the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the country’s next president.

“No other person can contest the candidature of Asiwaju. I am bold to say that Asiwaju’s emergence would result in total transformation of Nigeria”, the SWAGA Chairman assured

For two straight nights, the peace in some parts of Osogbo was eroded by an unidentified group of young men who reports say were shooting sporadically, wielding machetes and causing mayhem.

Investigation revealed that for two nights running, there have been confirmed reports of sporadic shootings in some selected areas of Osogbo.

These shootings normally occur between the hours of 10pm through 12 midnight.

Sources claimed that they saw some young men shooting sporadically and that the gunshots were as a result of rival cult groups trying to outdo each other while others allege that they were members of the State Boys, a group of political thugs which gained notoriety during the administration of Rauf Aregbesola.

Some of the areas where the shooting occurred which are Oke-Baale, Olaiya, Egbatedo, Gbeemu, Oja-Oba, Atelewo, Idi-Omo, Balogun , Ita Akogun have been described as unsafe for both residents and non-residents.

An affected resident, Titus Oluwasuyi, noted that there is the need for government to work more on security due to the influx of cultists and political thugs.

He revealed that they were now everywhere and guns were now used freely in Osogbo and residents of some areas are now becoming scared because people are killed at will.

He said, “we now advise ourselves within Osogbo not to stay outside till late at night again but to stay safe in our homes as there is now fighting in town.”

He alleged that the thugs were indirectly working for the state government.

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Deputy Superintendent of Corp (DSC), Daniel Adigun confirmed the incidents but explained that their identities could not be ascertained.

According to him, “We don’t know as at now if they are thugs or members of secret cults, but definitely they are hoodlums who are disturbing the peace of the society.

“The violence just started suddenly on Monday and as at yesterday, intelligence report has it that in some parts of Osogbo, they wanted to come out even in the morning.

“The situation is already under control as the state security Joint Task Force (JTF) was able to stem the tide and anybody who wants to foment trouble will be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.”

He stated that the cause of the violence could not be ascertained as it started suddenly on Monday but maintained that a reoccurrence was out of the question.

While explaining that the state capital has experienced a surge in criminal activities lately, he revealed that criminal elements have infiltrated secondary schools as some students of these schools have been recruited into their ranks.

Meanwhile, in a telephone chat with THE POLICE, the Osun Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola revealed that the hoodlums have been arrested with their weapons and were currently undergoing investigation at the State Criminal Investigations Department.