South West Development Stakeholders Forum, comprising civil society organisations, professionals, and religious leaders, calling for a parley with presidential candidates of major political parties as soon as possible in Ibadan, Oyo State, insisted that the discussions must be focused solely on the development of the southwest region.
The Forum noted that the South West is the industrial and commercial engine room of Nigeria. All matrices clearly show that the Nigerian economy is driven by economic activities in the South West of Nigeria.
The group, at a meeting last week, said that given its growing population of more than 50 million residents, its historical trajectory as the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, its strategic political importance, and huge potential in driving national growth and development, the region deserves to know from the presidential candidates exactly how they intend to incorporate the South West in their agenda for a united, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria.
The Forum in a statement by Dr. Alao Adedayo, Yoruba World Center; Otunba Ayodeji Osibogun, Yoruba Ko’ya Leadership and Training Foundation, and others, declared: “the South West can also boast of having residents from most, if not all, ethnic nationalities of Nigeria. We are the biggest, non-discriminatory, melting pot for Nigerians and their social, commercial and other development activities and, therefore, deserve the critical consideration of all candidates.
“With just over two months to the general elections, there is a need for the Presidential, as well as the region’s Gubernatorial and Legislative candidates, to pronounce their plans for a concrete development agenda for the South West Region.”
The statement indicated that the South West Development Stakeholders is willing and ready to bring the Presidential candidates to the table to address Yoruba people, and indeed all Nigerians living in the South West, of specific plans to make them true stakeholders in the new unfolding federation.