Tinubu Should Try And Build Trust And Support With The Southeast, He Should Include Them– Adeniyi

Renowned communications professor and public affairs commentator, Abiodun Adeniyi, has urged caution in the handling of the Southeast region by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the competition for the Senate President position in the upcoming 10th National Assembly intensifies. Calls have been made from various parts of the country for the APC to allocate the Senate President slot to the Southeast, aiming to achieve a balanced power-sharing arrangement.

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However, some voices within the ruling party have opposed this idea, citing the Southeast’s overwhelming lack of support for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the presidential elections as a reason for their exclusion.

During an interview on ARISE TV’s ‘Prime Time’ program with Charles Aniagolu, Professor Adeniyi expressed his viewpoint on the ongoing controversy. He argued that the APC should not base its power-sharing formula on the number of votes each region contributed to their presidential candidate. Instead, he emphasized the importance of inclusiveness and equity in the forthcoming government, suggesting that the ruling party should not antagonize the Southeast for not supporting Tinubu in the recent elections.

Drawing a parallel, Adeniyi called on Tinubu to learn from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s approach to winning over a region that initially rejected him at the polls. He pointed out that the Southeast has long been marginalized and emphasized that the APC can promote inclusivity by granting the Igbos significant positions, irrespective of the number of votes they brought to the table.

Adeniyi highlighted the example of Obasanjo, who, despite not receiving support from the Southwest region in 1999, did not treat them as outcasts or alienate the Yorubas for their lack of support. Instead, he appointed individuals from the Southwest to prominent positions, leading to the gradual reintegration of the Yorubas into the national political sphere.

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This strategy resulted in overwhelming support from the Southwest for Obasanjo’s reelection in 2003. Adeniyi emphasized that the APC should adopt a similar approach, emphasizing the need to build trust and support with the Southeast over time rather than expecting immediate results.

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