Afenifere leaders Pa Ayo
Fasanmi and Senator Biyi Durojaiye with Governor Gboyega Oyetola: endorse
Buhari, Osinbajo re-election.
Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba
socio-cultural and political organization, has endorsed the re-election bid of
President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the 2019
Presidential election.
The group announced the
endorsement through its spokesperson, Chief Biodun Akin-Fasae, after a meeting
of delegates and elders from the six Southwest states held on Thursday at the
House of Chiefs, Ibadan.
The group, which was led by
Pa Ayo Fasanmi, included former governor of Oyo State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, Prince
Tajudeen Olusi, Dr Abayomi Finnih, Chief Adeleke Adewoyin and Prince Biodun
Ogunleye.
The meeting, which lasted
four hours, resolved that any other group not with the Yorubas on the decision
and choice were usurpers as well as renegades.
The group noted that
Afenifere, as started by the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, was known for being
progressive.
“We have decided to host
the whole Yorubaland in Ibadan on January 29, 2019. It is to proclaim the
support of the Yorubaland for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
“It is also to tell the
whole world that Afenifere created by Baba Awolowo before his death is still
intact as a progressive movement and any Afenifere person who is not in the
progressive is not part of us.
“We are now telling the
Yoruba people and the whole world that we are going to support President
Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo come 2019 Presidential
election,” the group said.
It said they were
supporting Buhari inspite of the economic challenges which was a collective issue,
adding that the economy, which had been bastardized for years, is growing under
Buhari.
The group affirmed that
Buhari was trying his best, saying the economy and GDP is growing.
According to the group,
“look at the programmes for the youths and the children through empowerment and
school feeding programmes in schools across the country.
“26 states are already in
the programme and many other states are happy with it.
So, Buhari is trying his
best and the best is yet to come, that is why we are asking people to vote for
him, particularly in Yoruba land come 2019 Presidential election.”
It described the factional
group which threw its weight behind another presidential candidate as usurpers,
adding that the Afenifere they know in Yorubaland is a progressive movement.
The group said that the
factional Afenifere group, led by Chief Ayo Adebanjo, which threw its weight
behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, was not part of them, but
usurpers.
“Yoruba is not divided,
there are not so many Afeniferes. Yoruba is a nation and even during the time
of Baba Awolowo, there were dissent voices, so we are not embarrassed.
“Our group is led by the
longest living senator in Nigeria, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, and you can see everybody
there including Sen. Biyi Durojaiye, Dr Omololu Olunloyo, Baba Olusi and many
others in Yorubaland who are not renegades with us.
“There was no time
Afenifere has not been a socio-political organization. It is a socio-cultural
and political organization and that is just the full name of Afenifere.
“Let me again say that the
owner of the mandate of the Yoruba people is APC. The six governors of
Yorubaland are APC, all houses of Assembly in Yorubaland are APC, so we have
six speakers of houses of assemblies, so you can imagine.
“Those who claim to be in
the other group of Afenifere, none of them have ever contested an election. The
fact is there for all to see. So, they don’t have any mandate.
“It is our Afenifere that
we are talking here that has the mandate of the Yoruba people and you will see
them here on the day.
“By January 29, they will
all be here including the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to declare support for
the President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election,” the group added.
Afenifere decried the
jeering of Buhari by lawmakers during Wednesday’s budget presentation, saluting
Buhari for not being deterred and concluding his presentation.
Among others who attended
were a former Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, Pa Ayo
Afolabi, Mr Oladosu Oladipo, Mr Muyiwa Ige, Prof. Adebanjo Ademodi, Mr Tokunbo
Ajasin and Mr Awa Bamiji.
The Oyo State Government
was represented by Dr Morounkola Thomas, the Executive Assistant on Political
Matters to Gov. Abiola Ajimobi.
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