• Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

What’s The Endorsement Of Ethnic Groups Worth?

by Jonathan Nda-Isaiah
3 years ago
in Columns
Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

During the week there was an unnecessary squabble over the purported endorsement of the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Tinubu by the Yoruba socio-cultural group Afenifere.

Advertisement

Recall that Tinubu had visited Pa Reuben Fasoranti in Akure, Ondo and the elder statement prayed for him and wished him success. It was interpreted as an endorsement and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) went haywire.

The spokesman of the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation, Daniel Bwala, picked a hole in the endorsement noting that the absence of Adebanjo and others was an indication that the endorsement was faulty.

Similarly, Ayo Adebanjo, the acting leader of Afenifere, who had earlier endorsed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi as the preferred candidate of Afenifere for the 2023 presidential election said there is a conspiracy to divide the socio-cultural group. He said Fasoranti informed him about the notice of Tinubu’s visit and that he encouraged the elder statesman to allow the visit.

I was surprised at the controversy generated over the purported endorsement of Tinubu by Afenifere. The question is I ask what’s the worth of an endorsement by socio-cultural groups? presently what is their political value?

RELATED

Breastfeeding As Shared Responsibility

Breastfeeding As Shared Responsibility

2 days ago
Turning Brain Drain Into Bridges

Turning Brain Drain Into Bridges

5 days ago

I recall that the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party( NNPC) Rabiu Kwakwaso shunned the Arewa Joint Committee interactive session with presidential candidates because his team has credible information that some people behind the engagement have been compromised, and the event will be used to “clandestinely endorse” another candidate from Northern Nigeria.

In my opinion, I think endorsements by  Afenifere, Ohaneze, and Arewa Consultative forum are inconsequential. Maybe in previous elections but not in 2023. I don’t think the herd mentality syndrome will work next year.

For example, the fact that I am a Christian does not mean I will vote for the candidate any Christian body endorses. Or because I am a northerner I will queue behind the candidate the Arewa consultative forum endorses. That simply won’t work.

Endorsements by ethnic groups are just like opinion polls, they don’t matter. Just like debates in Nigerian elections, eloquence in debates counts for nothing. It will only earn your brownie points and not votes. The man on the streets will tell you “ na English we go chop?

I have said severally on this page that most people have already made up their minds on who to vote for in 2023. No amount of blackmail, mudslinging, and cyberbullying can make them change their mind. Only a few Nigerians are undecided.

I think sociocultural groups should refrain from endorsing any presidential candidate. People should be allowed to think for themselves and decide on the candidate which they feel will serve their interests and that of the nation.

We should by all means avoid turning the 2023 presidential election into a tribal war and endorsements. Right now we are steadily going down that path and we must halt that slide. It will further exacerbate our fault lines of ethnicity and religion.

We should interrogate the candidates and they should tell us the how of their promises and how they intend to deliver their mandates. Based on that, we can make our final decisions, and as we say in local parlance, the socio-cultural groups should “park one side.“


We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →

Join Our WhatsApp Channel




SendShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Jude Idada’s First Feature Film KOFA To Premiere @ AFRIFF 2022

Next Post

30km Speed Limits Enforcement

Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

You May Like

Breastfeeding As Shared Responsibility
Backpage

Breastfeeding As Shared Responsibility

2025/08/07
Turning Brain Drain Into Bridges
Backpage

Turning Brain Drain Into Bridges

2025/08/04
Okello Oculi’s Last Safari
Backpage

Okello Oculi’s Last Safari

2025/08/03
Agwu Becomes Fellow Of NIPR
Columns

Musings On Tyre Blowouts

2025/08/02
Victorious Super Falcons Stun Morocco To Clinch 10th WAFCON Title
Columns

Super Falcons Deserve Every Kobo: Stop The Unnecessary Debate

2025/08/02
The Strangeness Of Islam And Reality Of Discord
Religion

The Strangeness Of Islam And Reality Of Discord

2025/08/01
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

Adewole, Azuike Emerge Winners Of Cowbellpedia Quiz Competition

Ex-Gov Daniel Raises Alarm Over Quit, Demolition Notices On Properties In Ogun

Niger Nationalises Sole Industrial Goldmine, Accuses Australian Operator Of ‘Breaches’

BREAKING: Ex-PDP Chairman Audu Ogbeh Dies At 78

FIFA U-20 WWCQ: Falconets Head Coach Invites 35 Players For Rwanda Clash

NANPF Appoints CSP Chijioke As Director Of Players’ Safety And Security

NPFL Youth League: Remo Stars, Ikorodu City pick Ikenne Zone Tickets

John Utaka Named Head Coach Of Montpellier Women’s Team

School Sports Games: Team Nigeria Clinch 25 Medals, Finish 4th Overall

‘Finding Nina’ Premieres August 8, On Prime Video

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.