Youths Plan Three Million Man Walk On State Of S/West Region

TAIWO ADELU

South West Progressive Youth and People’s Movement (SWPYPM) is planning a three million youths and people walk that will be held simultaneously in the capital cities of all the South West states in the country.

The one day peaceful walk, according to the Coordinator of the SWPYPM, Comrade Ajayi Taiwo, is to alert the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly on the state of the South West region.

Comrade Taiwo said that while the people of the region did a wonderful job to enthrone the present government in power, the region has little or nothing to show for its effort.

“We want to remind the President that the present administration came into power with the overwhelming support of all the progressive people of the South West geopolitical zone. But the region is at the receiving end in terms of the sharing formula of the federation revenue which does not match the population and contributions of the region to the national development.

“Out of the 774 local governments in Nigeria, the South West has only paltry 137 compared to over 400 in the North. This injustice must be addressed quickly by the federal government through the National Assembly. The unemployment rate in the region must also be addressed as a matter of national urgency.

“We are planning a simultaneous three million man walk across the capital cities of all the states in the South West to demand the National Assembly to convert all the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the South West states to substantive local government areas and create more where necessary  or maybe due to economic recession give  recognition to the existing LCDAs by releasing special grants to accelerate development in the South West.

“The Federal Government should also declare a state of emergency in the area of youth unemployment and take positive step to address the situation  especially in the South West where we have high population of both educated and uneducated unemployed youths.

“Lagos State should be given its required Special Status with special intervention fund to address the shortfall in infrastructure development. The SWPYPM wants to show its commitment to the economic and political development of the South West as well as declare that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains the recognizable leader of the Yoruba nation and the National Leader of Nigeria, ” Comrade Taiwo said at a press conference held in Lagos on Tuesday.

He reiterated that the three million man walk will be organized through the network and support from all members of the SWPYPM spread across the region as there is no external influence on what they are planning to do.

The Coordinator said that the SWPYPM wants Nigerians, especially the progressive to be patient with the government of Buhari, adding that” the South West Progressive Youth and People’s Movement has no doubt that,  despite all the challenges and problems facing Nigeria state from security, Niger Delta militant attacks, Boko Haram insurgents, corruption and other national economic crisis, President Buhari’s administration has the capacity to reposition and repair the image of our country before the international community, even as we believe that the 2017 budget will bring smiles on the faces of all Nigerians. ”

While calling for the unity among the people of South West region to fight a common cause in the Nigeria state, Comrade Taiwo stated that “there is no division in the leadership of the South West and that all our leaders including Governors, Ministers, members of the National and State Assemblies, as well as all political appointees irrespective of their political lineages are united and focused to develop the region and indeed Nigeria. We can only urge all critics to stop spreading rumours and unfounded allegations to divide the Yoruba leaders. ”

At the press conference in Lagos on Tuesday were Mr. O. Tunji, Coordinator, Mushin local government, Miss O.Falola, the Chief Whip and Social Media Administrator, Mr. Aderowo Segun and Miss O. Esiro, Coordinator and Secretary, Ikeja Local government chapter.