Leader or the pan-Yoruba social and political group Afenifere Pa Rueben Fasoranti has prayed for the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu was in Fasoranti’s residence on Sunday as part of his visit to Ondo State.
This was just as Tinubu said the president, Muhammadu Buhari declined to back any aspirants among the many who sought the ticket of the party ahead of the primaries of the party.
Tinubu’s visit comes amidst bold declaration of support by another leader of the group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Adebanjo, had in many fora, dismissed Tinubu as being unfit for the presidential job just he clamoured for a president of the South-East extraction.
Last month, Adebanjo announced his full opposition and listed reasons for his position.
Explaining, he said“…not a few Yoruba leaders questioned why I should be supporting Peter Obi, a candidate of Igbo extraction, against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a Yoruba. I took my time to explain that the presidency is not a contest between the Yorubas and the Igbos and to a large extent I was able to convince many.
“But ever since, “social media has been filled with comments tending to ethnicise the campaign instead of making it issue-based. Afenifere has, therefore, decided to address you today and through you educate the public on the ideological and equitable principles which have influenced our decision.”
Speaking further over equity, he had said, “In this quest for peace, based on equity and inclusiveness, the Yoruba took the first turn at the zoning arrangement in 1999, and that led to the emergence of Chief (Olusegun) Obasanjo, the current Vice President is a Yoruba man and equity forbids us for presuming to support another Yoruba person for the presidency in 2023.
“The current President is a Fulani from the North-West and by virtue of the zoning arrangement that has governed Nigeria since 1999, power is supposed to return to the south imminently. The
“The South-West, as I have pointed out, has produced a president and currently sits as VP, the South-South has spent a total of six years in the Presidency, but the Igbo people of the South-East have never tasted presidency in Nigeria, and now that the power is due back in the South, equity demands that it be ceded to the Igbo.
“We cannot continue to demand that the Igbo people remain in Nigeria, while we at the same time continue to brutally marginalise and exclude them from the power dynamics.”
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In a statement later released by Tinubu’s media aide, Tunde Rahman, he was quoted as telling Afenifere leaders that President Muhammadu Buhari, APC Northern Governors and leaders have proved that Nigeria can survive its unity and other challenges.
The statement said Tinubu spoke during an interaction with Afenifere leaders while presenting his policy document and Action Plan for a better Nigeria.
It recalled Tinubu’s earlier visit to Pa Fasoranti on March 4, during his nationwide consultation before the APC presidential primaries when he promised Afenifere leader that he would come back after winning the party’s ticket.
It said the visit was in fulfilment of Tinubu’s promise and to ask Yoruba leaders to thank President Buhari and APC Northern Governors for their steadfastness and for being promise-keepers.
“The North proved to me Nigeria can survive its unity, some people wanted President Buhari to announce someone, but the president said no. He insisted the process must go on democratically.
“The president said anyone that would mess up the APC process would see the other side of his eyes, he remained upright and saw to the process to the end.
“Northern APC Governors resolved that the presidency must go to the South, and especially South-West, Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and others supported me to the end.
“The battle was tough and at a point I was in doubt, there were many rumours and I became confused of what to believe,” the statement quoted Tinubu as saying.
Tinubu said he won the APC presidential primary election because the process was clean and transparent, adding that nobody could accuse Buhari of manipulating the process.
“President Buhari said I gave him credibility and I deserved to be President.
When I asked him to nominate the Vice-Presidential candidate for me, he said I should pick whoever I want,” Tinubu said.
He added that this was why he chosed a competent man in Sen. Kashim Shettima, who according to him, never lost any election and protected Christians in time of trouble in Borno State as its governor.
The statement added that while welcoming Tinubu and his entourage, General Secretary of Afenifere, Chief Seinde Arogbofa, charged Tinubu to be a leader that would unite Nigeria and work for the progress and development of the country.
Arogbofa said Tinubu was not just a Yoruba man, but a Nigerian, adding that when he became president, he should take Nigeria into consideration and never to forget home.
“Our demands are what you know already. restructuring, security and fixing the economy; our country is no longer safe, we want state police so that the country will be safe,” the statement quoted Arogbofa as saying.
According to the statement, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, received Tinubu and his entourage on behalf of Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu at the meeting.
Aiyedatiwa said Ondo people were Afenifere and would support Tinubu to win the election because he had the reach and competence to lead Nigeria.
The statement said the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji at the meeting, assured the Yoruba leaders that all South-West governors and Ekiti people were solidly behind Tinubu.
It added that former Secretary of the Government of the Federation, (SGF) Chief Olu Falae, and Afenifere leader charged Tinubu to work to fix the country’s economy.
“When you become president please work to fix this country, we are here to offer advice. I am old and no longer looking for job.
“We need to fix security, fix our economy, our naira is almost becoming useless and will soon become N1,000 to a dollar.
“We must change that. I know your ability, we will always be here to support and I wish you well. We will be here when you bring the throphy home by the grace of God,” the statement quoted Falae as saying.
It said leaders of Afenifere from the six South-West states, including Kwara and Kogi were present at the Akure residence of the Afenifere leader to offer support to Tinubu.
It listed Afenifere leaders at the meeting to include: Chief Pius Akinyelure, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Chief Olu Falae, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Alani Akinrinade, Olu Bajowa, Mr Sola Iji and Dr Kunle Olajide.
Others it said were General Secretary of Yoruba Council of Elders, Sen. Cornelius Adebayo, Sen. Iyiola Omisore, Chief Bisi Akande, Dare Babarinsa and Chief Pius Akinyelure.
The statement said Oyo State Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal represented Gov. Seyi Makinde, the state governor at the meeting.
Also at the meeting were Chief Segun Adesegun who represented former Governor Segun Osoba, Sen. Tony Adefuye, Sen. Dayo Adeyeye, state leaders of Afenifere and many others, the statement said.
Afenifere was formed as a socio-cultural and political organisation for the Yoruba people of Nigeria, with Chief Abraham Adesanya as its leader and late Chief Bola Ige as deputy leader at the time.
Among those who contested the ticket with Tinubu is the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, former Governor of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi, a serving senator and former Governor of Ogun , Ibikunle Amosun, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello and others.
