The Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere (Egbe Ilosiwaju Yoruba) yesterday formally endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo for re-election in the February 16 presidential election.
The group in a motion moved at the Pan-Yoruba Summit with the lecture: “Restructuring for Harmonious and Optimal Socio-economic Development: Prospects and Challenges” in Ibadan by Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye and seconded by representatives from the South West geo-political zone, women and youth groups also called on the people from the zone to come out and vote candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 16 and March 2 elections.
It urged the people of the zone to go out en mass and vote for all the candidates of the APC in the general elections, especially “the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Speaking at the occasion, the group’s national leader, Pa Ayorinde Fasanmi who noted that Afenifere was interested in moving the country forward, urged the people of the zone to support the duo, saying that they have performed very well in office.
“We know what happened before they came. While they want Federal Republic of Nigeria, the opposition wants Federal Republic of Corruption.
“I am happy that the South West states are now being controlled by APC governors. We should support and vote for them”, he said.
The Yoruba leader, who claimed that Awolowo appeared to him in his dream and prayed for the success of the summit, said he assured him (Awolowo) that when they met, “I will give him positive report and that the legacy he left behind were not destroyed and that we won the elections.”
According to him, in March 16 when the posthumous birthday of Awolowo would be celebrated, the APC will be in control both at the centre and the states in the zone.
Receiving the motion from Senator Durojaiye and his team, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo thanked the group for its support for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and himself, assuring that government would continue to focus on war against corruption and infrastructural development.
He enumerated some of the government projects in the zone to include the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the Ibadan-rail project, and the Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomosho road.
On the lecture, Osinbajo reiterated that for meaningful restructuring, states have to be stronger, independent, and be able to manage their resources for survival.
While noting that the Supreme Court had put in place laws for restructuring, he said these include devolution of powers such as creation of state and local policing, creation of local government areas and that federal government has no power to withhold local government allocations.
In his goodwill message, APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was represented by former Minister of State Defence, Ademola Seriki while appealing to the people to support and vote for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, assured that the party’s report on restructuring would be implemented in second term of the administration.
The lecturer, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi noted that there cannot be any legitimate claim by anyone to knowing what restructuring means or how it can be done.
“It is now time during the second term mandate that APC is seeking to act with decisive sense of urgency and work within timelines to deliver a restructured federation that works equitably for all,” he said.
