The parley with presidential candidates of major political parties would be holding in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The South-West Development Stakeholders Forum has said it would organise an interactive series for candidates for the 2023 presidential election.
The forum comprising civil society organisations, professionals and religious leaders disclosed this after its meeting.
It said the parley with presidential candidates of major political parties would be holding in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The statement read, “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
“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 w they intend to incorporate the South West in their agenda for a united, peaceful, and prosperous.
“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 candidate 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 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. Detailed plans for the parley will be announced soon.”
This is coming a few weeks after Arewa Joint Committee hosted an interactive session with some selected presidential candidates in Kaduna State.
The Arewa Joint Committee is made up of representatives from frontline northern groups such as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Ahmadu Bello Foundation (ABF), Arewa Research and Development Project, and Jamiyyar Matan Arewa.