Afenifere gives Buhari campaign a big boost, endorses re-election

NAN

Afenifere, a Pan-Yoruba group led by Sen. Ayo Fasanmi, has called on Yoruba to vote massively for President Muhammadu Buhari and APC in the forthcoming elections.

The group made the call through a motion moved by Sen. Olabiyi Durojaiye on Tuesday at a Yoruba Summit held on Tuesday in Ibadan. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the motion was supported by Prince Tajudeen Olusi (Lagos), Elder Yemi Alade (Ekiti), Prof. Bayonle Ademola (Ondo), Chief Solomon Akindele (Oyo) and Mr Sooko Adewoyin (Osun).

NAN reports that women group led by Mrs Kemi Nelson and some other youth groups at the event supported the motion as moved by Durojaiye. Durojaiye said that the motion moved to support the re-election was in consideration of the manifesto and achievement recorded by the Buhari-led administration.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was present at the summit, appreciated the group for their unflinching support to the administration and the cause of the region.

He urged Yoruba sons and daughters to be united and sustain the legacies of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, advocating a strong voice at the centre for speedy progress of the region. The Vice President reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to the sustenance of a government of integrity and prudence.

“Restructuring is useful and important, but we need to strategise on how to pursue it. We must not allow some politicians to turn or use the agitation for restructuring to achieve selfish ends,” he said.

Sen. Bola Tinubu, APC National Leader, expressed support for true federalism, saying he supported all that the group stood for. Tinubu, who was represented by Prince Demola Seriki, said true federalism was an agenda that the Buhari-led administration stood for and would ensure in its second term. Deputy governors, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi(Ekiti), Mrs Yetunde Onanuga(Ogun) and Chief Moses Adeyemo(Oyo), pledged their support for the group and true federalism.

Sen. Ayo Fasanmi, Afenifere Leader, said that the Buhari administration has performed very well in the last three and a half years considering the condition it met the country on assumption of office. He expressed happiness that APC is ruling the entire South West states, saying such would be a good message to deliver to late leader of the Yoruba, Obafemi Awolowo.

“All we will like to tell the late Yoruba leader, Obafemi Awolowo, is that his legacies were sustained. We will celebrate two things on March 6 after the election.

“I am sure that by the grace of God, we will celebrate Awolowo’s birthday and APC’s victory at the polls,” he said.

Sen. Olubunmi Adetunmbi, the guest lecturer, said the Yoruba needed to look at the options before them in the elections and their role in search for a better federation

Adetunmbi, who delivered a lecture titled ‘Restructuring for harmonious and optimal Socio-economic development: Prospects and Challenges,’ said that Nigeria needed a new type of restructuring that allows for complete dis-aggregation of population and demographic statistics, social and economic data. He said that all the aforementioned needed to be evolved by state, local government and communities for performance measurement, improved localised planning and ease of comparative analysis. The senator commended the Buhari/Osinbajo presidency for expanding the scope of federal/state economic relations from just revenue sharing. Adetunmbi said such would include broader debate on political economy, job creation, fiscal issues and national economic policy management.

“For the region to become a continued key player at the centre requires a careful reflection on how it can achieve a good fit between regional and national interests.

“This should be in the unbalanced political and fiscal federalism that we currently operate,” he said.