Yoruba Presidency: Group Targets 40m Votes

By Akinwale Kasali

Pan Yoruba Group, the Alliance of Yoruba Democratic Movements, AYDM, says it target 40 million Votes from the South West Region as the 2023 general election draws closer.

As part of the plan the group, an Alliance of civil society and community-based groups in the region, said it will recruit 150,000 campaign volunteers in its bid to ensure overwhelming votes in the region

In a statement on Wednesday, the General Secretary of the group, Popoola Ajayi, said the campaign volunteers will work across the old Western Region including Kogi, Kwara, Delta and Edo States.

“Vote is political and economic power. The South West needs to show strength. It is the surest way to inform the local and international community about the real population of our people” the AYDM said.

Some groups in the alliance include The Covenant Group, (CG), Agbekoya led by Chief Kunle Osodi, Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC New Era), Network for Yoruba Alliance, (NEYA), Oodua Students Movement, (OSM) led by Comrade Deji Omotoyinbo among the 121 members of the movement.

The AYDM said it would vigorously pursue its earlier position to support any presidential candidate from the South West.

Not a few believes that the group is working for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate.

It added that Nigeria faces very difficult times the worst of which is violent terrorism and economic terror inflicted through poverty and lack of access to opportunities.

Speaking further, Ajayi said the best way to deepen democracy is for Nigerians to chose their leaders during elections.

The campaign volunteers are expected to work three days in a week.

After extensive training on communication, they will be required to visit strategic places, institutions, cities, rural and urban communities including farm and fishing settlements in the remotest areas.

Ajayi said the AYDM will explore the goodwill of the leaders of associations in the alliance who already command respect and dignity of their members

‘In the days of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Western Region used to be the bride of electoral politics. The region recorded overwhelming votes each time election held. We can do the same again” the statement signed by the AYDM General Secretary, Ajayi said.

He said the group is working to ensure no fewer than 30 to 40 million votes are recorded in the South West plus Kogi, Kwara, Edo and Delta States.

The AYDM came into limelight early this year when it brought together several Pan Yoruba groups that cut across every sphere of human endeavours, including Yoruba groups across West Africa, especially in Ivory Coast where the Yoruba population has peaked at 3.5 million.

The group hosted a summit in April which drew over 1,500 delegates from across the South West including representatives from leaders of non-Yoruba -ethnic groups living in the South West.

“Our strategy is to ensure at least 90 percent turn-out of residents of South West Nigeria on voting day. Our target is all residents in the South West not Yoruba alone,” Ajayi said

The members of AYDM have now increased to 121 different associations of farmers, students, peasants, community-based groups and professional blocs alike.