Members of Yoruba Ni Colorado (YNC), United States of America, have thrown their weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, declaring there is “no vacancy in the Villa” ahead of the 2027 general election.
The group made its position known on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to Umar Tanko Yakasai, director-general of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), in Abuja.
Adetola Obiwole, president of YNC, said Nigerians in the diaspora have been monitoring Tinubu’s economic reforms and are convinced the country is on a path of sustainable progress.
“We restate our unalloyed support for President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and we urge the National Assembly to fast-track legislation that will ensure diaspora voting,” she said.
Obiwole also urged the National Assembly to amend the constitution to allow Nigerians living abroad to vote in future elections, saying continuity in 2027 is crucial for ongoing development.
Speaking during the visit, George Sotade, general secretary of YNC, said there is no political vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027.
His words: “We don’t need to talk too much. There is no vacancy in the Villa. Anybody running around is just doing that to bring more votes for us, for Asiwaju.
“This visit is to let the world know that the Yoruba nation in the US and, by extension, all Nigerians in the US are behind Asiwaju.”
Sotade also praised the Tinubu Support Group for its strategic role in mobilising support for Tinubu’s election victory in 2023.
The group, which is currently carrying out a medical outreach in rural communities, also honoured Yakasai for the support group’s role in ensuring Tinubu’s emergence as president.
In his remarks, Yakasai commended the group for remaining connected to their roots and giving back to Nigeria.
“Some Nigerians, when they travel, forget home and think that they are in developed countries and don’t want to associate with the rest of us here,” he said.
He noted that the diaspora community is filled with hardworking professionals who are doing the country proud, despite the actions of a few bad eggs that tarnish Nigeria’s image abroad.
Yakasai thanked the group for its consistency and urged its members to mobilise and return home to vote, saying “every vote counts”.
He also encouraged diaspora medical professionals to create a mentorship framework to help build local capacity in Nigeria and reduce medical tourism.