Professor Yemi Osinbajo
THE pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, today,
flayed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo describing him as an enemy of
Yoruba people by not championing the region’s interest in the All
Progressive Congress led government.
It also reaffirmed the resolution of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan
Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Middle Belt Forum and Northern Elders
Forum who recently endorsed the candidacy of the Presidential
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar.
This is as 39 political groups, under the Coalition of United
Political Parties, CUPP, in Ondo State endorsed Alhaji Abubakar for
the February 16 presidential election.
Afenifere leaders, rising from its general meeting held in
Akure, the country home of its leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti, said
that Osinbajo failed to speak out when the need arose on sensitive
issues bothering on the region.
In a communiqué, signed by its leaders, Pa Fasoranti, Chief Ayo
Adebanjo, Chief Olu Falae and Senator Femi Okurounmi, Afenifere
said: “Osinbajo is hanging on the Fulani to work against Yoruba
interest when our people are getting killed in their farms by
Fulani herdsmen Osinbajo did not say anything.
“When we are talking about restructuring , Osinbajo is arguing
against restructuring and all the Yoruba want is restructuring , so
when Osinbajo is working against restructuring, he is not for
Yoruba people
“So we cannot support APC because of Osinbajo, who has turned
himself to the enemy of Yoruba.
“That a person is your son does not mean you support him when he
is working against your interest. Osinbajo is working against the
interest of Yoruba and our support for Atiku is not the question of
Yoruba or Igbo or Hausa but about somebody that believes in what
Awolowo believed in which is federalism. We advise all Yoruba to
come out and vote for Atiku.
“So we cannot support APC because of Osinbajo who has turned
himself to the enemy of Yoruba.
“That the Atiku endorsement is based on the following reasons;
shared commitment to restructuring Nigeria to guaranty true
federalism, need to promote the feelings of inclusiveness and sense
of belonging amongst Nigerians and promote much desired national
patriotism and unity.
On the reported endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari by the
Senator Ayo Fasanmi, the group said: “These pretenders are
doubtlessly not Afenifere members but, as usual, only dubiously
seeking to exploit the goodwill and reputation of Afenifere to
market their bad political product.
“Their desperation in this regard is exemplified in the
fraudulent printing of campaign posters in the name and picturing
Ambassador Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu as endorsing Buhari and
Osinbajo, which she has since disclaimed.”
Meanwhile, at a press conference in Akure, the CUPP chairman in
the state, Dr Bode Iwaloye said: “The CUPP in Ondo State has all
agreed to vote for Abubakar Atiku of the PDP for the presidential
election.
“We are directing all our members of all these parties to cast
their votes for Atiku Abubakar of the PDP in the presidential
election. There would be other areas of cooperation.”