By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

The Convener of the Alternative Movement, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has urged non-indigenes resident in Ogun State to mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, which he described as an “election of liberation.”

Sowunmi made the call while addressing members of the Non-Indigene Association of Ogun State, Egba Zone, comprising representatives of the Igbo Association, Igede Community, Tiv/Benue people, Calabar Association, Arewa Association and Igala Community.

He said non-indigenes had made significant contributions to the economic development of Ogun State through their businesses, professional activities and other engagements.

Sowunmi, who spoke extensively about his relationship with the Igbo community and other groups living in the state, said he had deliberately promoted an inclusive identity for residents, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds.

“Everything we are doing, even if people are calling themselves all sorts of names according to their local tribe, I created a tribe that will contain all of us together, and I call it the Ogun Tribe,” he said.

He also pledged to intervene whenever non-indigenes were allegedly maltreated or cheated in the state.

“If anybody should dare to maltreat you here unnecessarily, you have my number, phone me. If I am in Abuja, I will fly down. If I am in London, I will fly down. If I am in Abeokuta, I will drive down,” Sowunmi said.

“Wherever they try to cheat you, they will know that you have a brother and a friend in me.”

On the contributions of non-indigenes to the state’s economy, he said Ogun’s development could not be separated from the activities of Nigerians from different parts of the country who had settled in the state and established businesses.

Turning to the 2027 presidential election, Sowunmi urged members of the association to mobilise what he described as overwhelming support for Tinubu.

“You see this next election, this is the election that we are going to call the election of liberation,” he said.

“The liberation there is that all the votes, let nobody sleep that day, must go to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. All the votes must go to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

Sowunmi said he intended to mobilise voters across the three senatorial districts of Ogun State in support of the President.

“I am begging you in the name of God Almighty and in the name of everything precious that we have been sharing among ourselves, let us mobilise, let us mobilise, let us mobilise until, if it is possible, we will take the whole one million votes for Tinubu.”

He linked his appeal to the longstanding debate over the rotation or zoning of political power among Nigeria’s regions, arguing that the scale of votes recorded for Tinubu in the South could become significant in the political debate over power rotation.

“If by the time we finish the 2027 election and the South-South, the South-East, the South-West and the North-Central give overwhelming votes to Bola Ahmed Tinubu until his numbers can carry him to win the election all by themselves…” he said.

“When it was their turn, this was how I was jumping up, jumping down, begging God, running here, entering mosque to beg for their own turn. Now it is our own turn, it is this number of votes.”

“Not just winning, winning is not enough for me now. It is that majority number that is going to do the job.”

Sowunmi also addressed the South-East’s aspiration for the presidency, saying the region’s quest for political power should not, in his view, be pursued through confrontation.

“Our people have been very fair to the Igbos. The only thing remaining is that Presidency, but nobody can get Presidency by fighting every time, just calm down,” he said.

He further pledged his support for the emergence of an Igbo president at a future date.

“The same way we are shouting now that we are begging you to get Bola over the line, by Almighty God, Chineke, very, very hard, until we carry an Igbo man and put him in that Villa and nothing is going to happen,” he said.

According to him, the 2027 election should be used to demonstrate political inclusion and equality among Nigeria’s ethnic and regional groups.

“The only way to do that is to use the 2027 election to make a very strong statement that nobody is more important than another person in this country,” he said.

Earlier, Chairman of the Non-Indigene Association of Ogun State, Egba Zone, Hon. Francis Nwanze, said the association had resolved to support Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Also speaking, a representative of the Igede Community pledged that non-indigenes would participate actively in campaigns and rallies organised in support of the President.

“We are working for Tinubu’s re-election. When it is time for rallies, you will see non-indigenes in their large numbers to support and campaign for President Tinubu,” the representative said.

The association, however, called for greater inclusion of non-indigenes in governance, including consideration for appointments to positions such as Special Assistants.

Sowunmi had earlier visited the Egba Tile Toko Hunters Association, where he also sought members’ support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.