Contrary to speculations fueled by certain reports in the media that they had filed behind presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, in support of power shift to the South East on the basis of equity, fairness and justice, leaders of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday endorsed presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the 2023 presidency.
The Afenifere leaders from the six states of the South West, including Kwara and Kogi, gave their endorsement at the country home of the group’s foremost leader, Pa Reuben Fasonranti, in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Their decision came after a meeting with Tinubu who was in the state to present his action plan on repositioning Nigeria.
Tinubu who arrived in Akure at about 1: 45 pm, moved from the airport to the country home of Fasoranti where the leaders of Afenifere were waiting to receive him.
Tinubu told the Yoruba leaders that President Muhammadu Buhari, governors of APC from the North and other Northern leaders proved to him that Nigeria can survive its unity and other challenges.
Presenting his policy document and action plan for a Better Nigeria to the Yoruba leaders, Tinubu assured them of a better Nigeria.
Recalling his earlier visit to Pa Fasoranti on March 4 this year while he was on a nationwide consultation before the APC Primaries, Tinubu said he promised the Afenifere leader that he would come back after winning the APC ticket.
Tinubu said he was in Ondo to fulfil his promise, even as he asked Yoruba leaders to thank President Buhari and Northern governors for their steadfastness and for being promise-keepers.
The former Lagos governor said, “The North proved to me Nigeria can survive its unity. Some people want President Muhammadu 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 the process to the end.
“Northern APC Governors resolved that the Presidency must go to the South and especially South West. Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Abdullahi Ganduje and others supported me to the end. The battle was tough and at one point, I was in doubt. There were many rumours and I became confused about what to believe.”Still speaking on President Buhari’s forthrightness and affirmation of his full support to make sure he wins the election, Tinubu said:
“President Buhari told me I promoted his name with the way I won the primary election because the process was clean and transparent and nobody can accuse him of manipulating the process. President Buhari said I gave him credibility and I deserved to be President. When I asked him to nominate the VP candidate for me, he said I should pick whoever I want and it is the reason I chose a competent man in Kashim Shettima who never lost any election and protected Christians in times of trouble in his state.”
Earlier, the general secretary of Afenifere, Chief Seinde Arogbofa, charged Tinubu to be a leader that will unite Nigeria and work for the progress and development of the country.
He said, “You are not just a Yoruba man but a Nigerian. When you become president, consider Nigeria in all you do but never 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.”
Deputy governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who received Tinubu and his delegation on behalf of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu said the people of Ondo State are Afenifere and will support Tinubu to win.
“Asiwaju has the reach, the competence to lead Nigeria,” the deputy governor said.
In his remark, Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, assured the Yoruba leaders that all the governors of South West and Ekiti people are solidly behind Tinubu.
“We are happy to receive our leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, today. I want to assure him and our fathers that we will support him to the endm”, he stated.
Also, a former secretary to government of the federation, Chief Olu Falae, and Afenifere leader charged the APC presidential flag bearer to work to fix the economy.
Falae decried the falling value of the Naira, adding that he used all his life to serve Nigeria and in his old age he does not want all he used his life for to be wasted.
He said, “When you become President, please work to fix this country. We are here to offer advice. I am old and no longer looking for a job. We need to fix security and fix our economy. Our naira is almost becoming useless and will soon become N1000 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 trophy home by the grace of God.
Atiku’s Camp Kicks, Faults Apex Yoruba Group
But reacting to the Afenifere meeting with Tinubu, a spokesman for the Atiku/Okowa campaign organization, Daniel Bwala, said Afenifere would have invited other major presidential candidates for the 2023 polls and not only the APC standard bearer.
“I was expecting that Afenifere would invite the four leading candidates just like Arewa House did; but inviting only Tinubu seems odd to me,” he said on his Twitter handle.
Wike Dares Ayu To Stop Any PDP Candidate From 2023
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has dared the national chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, to stop any of the party’s candidates from contesting the 2023 general election.
Wike who spoke with journalist at his private residence in Port Harcourt was reacting to a statement credited to Ayu, in which he said he would have stopped Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, from contesting for senatorial seat.
The governor said, “I dare the national chairman of PDP to stop any contestant for the election. I dare Ayu to stop any PDP candidate from contesting the election. He doesn’t have the power.
“I heard he said he would have stopped Governor Samuel Ortom from running. You see how ungrateful some people are? It is this same Ortom who pleaded that this man should be given a chance. That he wants his people to come up to the position of national chairman.
“This is a man who never campaigned to be national chairman of PDP. He never printed any posters even when he was given money to print posters.”
Wike stated that nobody called for Ayu’s sack, saying the demand is that the national chairman should fulfil the promise he made before the party’s presidential primary.
He continued: “It is most unfortunate that nobody has said Ayu should be sacked. The word ‘sacking’ and ‘keeping to your promise’ are two different things. All we are saying is that as a man of honour, if you have anyone, keep to your promise.
“In order not to marginalise any zone or part of the country, keep to the agreement. If you said you will not keep your integrity, no problem. What we are saying is that we want our party to win the next general election and Nigerians are looking in our direction.”
The governor stated that the PDP national chairman attempted to impose a governorship candidate on the party in Rivers State, but was vehemently resisted by members of the party in the state.
He said, “He (Ayu) had finished over N11 Billion the party realised from the sale of forms. He keeps saying the money is there. Let him print out the account statement of PDP to tell Nigerians how N11 Billion was spent.
“He tried to impose a gubernatorial candidate on Rivers State, but we dealt with him.”
Wike who declared that he will never leave the PDP for any other political party said the party was not behaving like a political party that wants to win the election.
The governor said, “We are not behaving like a political party that wants to win an election. For me, the PDP is in a dilemma now because the issue of integrity is at play. We must stick to what the constitution of our party says.
“I am not going for anyone to think j that he is going to use me to be relevant. I said I will remain in the party and fight out. I am not leaving the PDP. I. Not looking for a job and I don’t want to be a minister. If you said I am not relevant, then, we will see what is relevant on election day.”
Ayu On A Mission To Destroy PDP, CUPP Alleges
Meanwhile, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has said that the national chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, was on a mission to destroy the party.
Spokesperson of the coalition, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, in a statement made available to journalists yesterday, accused Ayu of plotting to ensure that the party’s candidates opposing him lose the forthcoming election.
He specifically referred to statements credited to the party’s national chairman in Benue as proof that Ayu does not mean well for the party.
Describing the statement as reckless, Ugochinyere said Ayu’s desperation to remain the PDP national chairman at all cost is scaring young voters.
Ayu and Ortom who hail from Benue North West senatorial district had a disagreement shortly after the party’s presidential primary election that produced Atiku Abubakar as the party’s standard bearer against Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who was the choice of some governors, including Ortom.
Since then, Wike alongside his counterparts in Benue, Oyo, Abia and Enugu has repeatedly called for Ayu’s resignation as the party’s chairman as the only panacea to restore peace to the main opposition party.
The Ayu/Ortom feud which has split the party in Benue State is threatening the senatorial ambition of the governor, with Ayu kinsmen in the Jemgbah axis accusing the governor of teaming up with others to pull down their son from his exalted office.
But Ugochinyere said, “I have no doubt in my mind that Ayu is on a mission to destroy the PDP. That is why he has resolved to remain on that seat despite the growing clamour for him to leave. His desperation to hang on to power by all means is scaring young voters.
“I am convinced that Ayu is plotting the defeats of the PDP candidates who are opposing him. This is very clear from the statement he made in Benue on Friday. This infamous Benue statement is reckless and the main reason why he must quit the seat of the party’s national chairman.
“Ayu should know or be reminded that he has no power to stop any candidate of the PDP for any reason whatsoever. I am confident that those he shortchanged will be reinstated by the court.
“My advice for him is that for the little period that he will remain the party chairman, Ayu should stop making dictatorial statements. As a matter of fact, he should quit before he is disgraced out of office.
“It is clear to all and sundry that Ayu is a political ticking time bomb that must be disarmed to bring justice and unity back to the party.
“His continued chairmanship will spell more doom for the party and lead to the worst electoral defeat for the party.
“Therefore, all lovers of democracy and party supporters must take it as a national assignment to ensure that Ayu quits now.”
Ugochinyere wondered why Ayu carried on behaving and talking as if there was nothing at stake.
He said with his hard posture, the party’s national chairman may be disgraced out of office.
