As the nation continues the steady march towards the February 16 Presidential Election, one big question that has been agitating the minds of the people of the Southwest geopolitical zone of the country is what they stand to benefit by voting for either of the two main contending parties – the APC and the PDP. This is a question that falls within the purview of analysts to examine and present an overview of what to expect from the zone in the coming election.

One of the main grouses of the people of the Southwest against the PDP is the way the party treated the people of the zone during the Jonathan administration of 2009 to 2015. The people believe and rightly so, that they had been shortchanged not only in the siling of infrastructural projects in the zone but also in appointments to public offices.

Hardly can one point to any major project started and completed in the Southwest during the rule of Goodluck Jonathan or that of his predecessor, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Instead many projects initiated by the two PDP leaders have been abandoned halfway only to be taken over by the Buhari administration. Many of such projects have either been completed by now or nearing completion by the current APC government of President Buhari.

For example, the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway construction was to be done through a concessionary arrangement that flopped. That all important project very vital to the socio-economic well-being of the South westerners has now been taken over by Buhari and is getting near completion stage and more interestingly, this big undertaking is now being executed through direct government funding.

Similarly, one of the busiest roads in Nigeria, the Ibadan/Oyo/Ogbomosho Expressway which was started by the PDP government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was abandoned at Oyo leaving the Oyo/Ogbomosho section uncompleted since the past 16years. It is Buhari government that is now working towards the completion of the project.

One other major project that has continued to gladden the hearts of the Yoruba people is the standard gauge railway project directly linking Lagos with Ibadan, the political Capital of the Southwest. This project was started by Jonathan but nothing was done on it until Buhari came on board. While on a state visit to China, Buhari renegotiated the project with the Chinese authorities. Work is progressing at a high speed right now on the project.

You can just imagine a rail journey from Lagos to Ibadan taking only 30minutes. And what about haulage of goods between the two great metropolis? Why will the Southwest then choose to show ingratitude to a party, APC that is doing much at the same time in the geopolitical zone?

Right now Atiku is dangling the bait of restructuring to the region. But where are the details of his restructuring proposal? Will he do it, can he do it and is it going to be a project that will favour the people in that zone? Atiku came to Ibadan to canvass for the people’s support but merely touched the issue of restructuring on the surface. He merely browsed the issue and made no promise to complete ongoing projects that are of immense socio-economic value to the South westerners.

Today, Alhaji Atiku’s most vociferous backer is Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President who had once declared the PDP candidate as unfit to rule Nigeria because of what he described as his insatiable greed and corruption. But even then, the pertinent question is, does Obasanjo possess the moral or political compass by which he can direct the course of events in Yorubaland?

Only recently, one of the most highly respected leaders of the Yoruba nation, General Alani Akinrinade, former Chief of Defense Staff, took a swipe at Chief Obasanjo and described his call on South westerners to vote for Atiku as “an insult to our collective intelligence”. He also blamed the media for according the ex-president undue attention, adding that they (the media) owe Nigerians the responsibility of “keeping this irritable man where he belongs – the waste bin of history”.

The retired general then advised his comrade-in-arms to “allow Nigerians choose who they want and stop goading the citizenry for his own selfish interests”. Alani Akinrinade has spoken the minds of most Nigerians, especially people of the Southwest. General Akinrinade is seen and regarded as a highly influential and respected leader whose views on any issues are usually taken as representing the collective interests of the Yoruba.

Now, if Atiku thinks he can rely on Obasanjo’s support to win Southwest votes, then he has missed the point. He must be living under a great illusion that Obasanjo’s political clout in the zone is sufficient enough for him to withstand PMB’s rabbit punch in the February 16 election. The Yoruba people have never regarded Obasanjo as a true son of theirs and many PDP leaders and supporters in the zone regard his much orchestrated support for Atiku as constituting a big albatross on the neck of his former vice.

I cannot imagine a SouthWest with the rail network, road network, appointments and VP would be considering Atiku or PDP.

[s]

adebayoabiola:
As the nation continues the steady march towards the February 16 Presidential Election, one big question that has been agitating the minds of the people of the Southwest geopolitical zone of the country is what they stand to benefit by voting for either of the two main contending parties – the APC and the PDP. This is a question that falls within the purview of analysts to examine and present an overview of what to expect from the zone in the coming election.

One of the main grouses of the people of the Southwest against the PDP is the way the party treated the people of the zone during the Jonathan administration of 2009 to 2015. The people believe and rightly so, that they had been shortchanged not only in the siling of infrastructural projects in the zone but also in appointments to public offices.

Hardly can one point to any major project started and completed in the Southwest during the rule of Goodluck Jonathan or that of his predecessor, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Instead many projects initiated by the two PDP leaders have been abandoned halfway only to be taken over by the Buhari administration. Many of such projects have either been completed by now or nearing completion by the current APC government of President Buhari.

For example, the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway construction was to be done through a concessionary arrangement that flopped. That all important project very vital to the socio-economic well-being of the South westerners has now been taken over by Buhari and is getting near completion stage and more interestingly, this big undertaking is now being executed through direct government funding.

Similarly, one of the busiest roads in Nigeria, the Ibadan/Oyo/Ogbomosho Expressway which was started by the PDP government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was abandoned at Oyo leaving the Oyo/Ogbomosho section uncompleted since the past 16years. It is Buhari government that is now working towards the completion of the project.

One other major project that has continued to gladden the hearts of the Yoruba people is the standard gauge railway project directly linking Lagos with Ibadan, the political Capital of the Southwest. This project was started by Jonathan but nothing was done on it until Buhari came on board. While on a state visit to China, Buhari renegotiated the project with the Chinese authorities. Work is progressing at a high speed right now on the project.

You can just imagine a rail journey from Lagos to Ibadan taking only 30minutes. And what about haulage of goods between the two great metropolis? Why will the Southwest then choose to show ingratitude to a party, APC that is doing much at the same time in the geopolitical zone?

Right now Atiku is dangling the bait of restructuring to the region. But where are the details of his restructuring proposal? Will he do it, can he do it and is it going to be a project that will favour the people in that zone? Atiku came to Ibadan to canvass for the people’s support but merely touched the issue of restructuring on the surface. He merely browsed the issue and made no promise to complete ongoing projects that are of immense socio-economic value to the South westerners.

Today, Alhaji Atiku’s most vociferous backer is Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President who had once declared the PDP candidate as unfit to rule Nigeria because of what he described as his insatiable greed and corruption. But even then, the pertinent question is, does Obasanjo possess the moral or political compass by which he can direct the course of events in Yorubaland?

Only recently, one of the most highly respected leaders of the Yoruba nation, General Alani Akinrinade, former Chief of Defense Staff, took a swipe at Chief Obasanjo and described his call on South westerners to vote for Atiku as “an insult to our collective intelligence”. He also blamed the media for according the ex-president undue attention, adding that they (the media) owe Nigerians the responsibility of “keeping this irritable man where he belongs – the waste bin of history”.

The retired general then advised his comrade-in-arms to “allow Nigerians choose who they want and stop goading the citizenry for his own selfish interests”. Alani Akinrinade has spoken the minds of most Nigerians, especially people of the Southwest. General Akinrinade is seen and regarded as a highly influential and respected leader whose views on any issues are usually taken as representing the collective interests of the Yoruba.

Now, if Atiku thinks he can rely on Obasanjo’s support to win Southwest votes, then he has missed the point. He must be living under a great illusion that Obasanjo’s political clout in the zone is sufficient enough for him to withstand PMB’s rabbit punch in the February 16 election. The Yoruba people have never regarded Obasanjo as a true son of theirs and many PDP leaders and supporters in the zone regard his much orchestrated support for Atiku as constituting a big albatross on the neck of his former vice.

[/s] Atiku does not need Obj to win Elections in the South west...
Atiku will get great Results from the south west...

Atiku won't win a single state in South West

It's not all about South West, you need to also consider what is best from the entire country...unity is now a scarce commodity in this country and Nigeria cant progress without unity. Atiku will unite the country more ..

SW will be far better off in a restructured Nigeria ...then she will be able to build any roads or railways she desires without recourse to the FG ...the Lagos Ibadan rail way is small compared to what SW can achieve in a restructured Nigeria


Obasanjo is a patriot and a nationalist, this why he has taken pains to switch support to Atiku, after seeing that the Buhari government has been a disaster for the country as whole

bedspread:
[s][/s] Atiku does not need Obj to win Elections in the South west...
Atiku will get great Results from the south west...

As painful as it is, you can still manage your situation without crying.

bedspread:
[s][/s] [s]Atiku does not need Obj to win Elections in the South west...
Atiku will get great Results from the south west.[/s]..

Nonsense

dheilaw1:
Atiku won't win a single state in South West

That is the real truth on ground

megacity:
It's not all about South West, you need to also consider what is best from the entire country...unity is now a scarce commodity in this country and Nigeria cant progress without unity. Atiku will unite the country more ..

SW will be far better off in a restructured Nigeria ...then she will be able to build any roads or railways she desires without recourse to the FG ...the Lagos Ibadan rail way is small compared to what SW can achieve in a restructured Nigeria


Obasanjo is a patriot and a nationalist, this why he has taken pains to switch support to Atiku, after seeing that the Buhari government has been a disaster for the country as whole

If your past contributions on this forum had carried this tone and mindset, perhaps people would have understood your agitation better.

Nnamdi Kanu damaged civility across the various tribes and you know you trumpeted his sentiments.

The article is a good piece and in addition, restructuring will be the best thing for this country, especially the southern regions whom will roar economically in a short period.

Atiku is using this slogan to score cheap political points, which I don't see him discussing should he win the presidential election let alone executing the plan.

Buhari/Osinbajo will sweep every single state in the southwest. You can take that to the bank.
I thought pdp had seasoned politicians in their midst,they obviously lack political sagacity.
Having taking the national chairman from the zone,one would've expected the pdp to zone their VP to the southwest in order 2 divide d votes there. Instead they took it to a southeast that's naturally pdp inclined, but with a lesser registered voters.
You completely abandoned the zone and left dem with nothing to hold on to.
How you expect a zone with the VP and several senior key ministers and strategic appointees in this gov't to now abandon their own for a mere sgf? Impossible!
Besides the Apc as a party has done better in infrastructure in the zone in 3yrs than pdp 16yrs.
Nigerians can be very tribalistic with issues like this.It's going to be massive bloc votes for the Apc in all d southwest states,no single state will be left out of the tsunami. The yorubas understand the game very well.When Buhari is done,they'll take it up 4rm there.
From recent events, it's clear that the ibos have not learnt anything.They'll wail 4 a long time 2 come.

Hehehe you guys said morethan thisbprior to the Osun disgrace. Only a compound fool would take Tinubi erats rants on Nairaland serious. Those that voted Adeleke arw silently waiting to cast their vote against those who stole their mandate. Hehehe