Ibikunle Amosun, former governor of Ogun, says he decided to withdraw from contesting the presidency in the interest of promoting the interest of the south-west.
Amosun spoke on Thursday at a rally organised in Abeokuta, the Ogun capital.
The rally, which featured supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was to “welcome Amosun home” after his participation in the presidential primary, and to mobilise support for Bola Tinubu, the party’s candidate.
The former Ogun governor had stepped down from contesting the presidency and asked his supporters to back the former Lagos governor.
Tinubu had later won the party’s presidential ticket after polling 1,271 votes.
Speaking while addressing the crowd of supporters at the palace of the Alake in Abeokuta, Amosun said he decided to step down in deference to elders of the zone.
“Our Yoruba elders had called us that if we really want the presidency to return to the south-west region, we must look for a way to be united,” NAN quoted him as saying.
“I have also told my close associates about two years ago that I desired to be president of the nation, but that my ambition cannot supersede or override the general interest of the south-west or the entire nation.
“We do not have another country except Nigeria and I am sure Nigeria will be great. We all need to join hands and collaborate with and support Tinubu to succeed Buhari.
“Tinubu will still move around the entire country to campaign and he will definitely come to Ogun and visit places like Ilaro, Ijebu, Abeokuta and other places to solicit your support.
“Let us please support him to win the 2023 presidential election.”
