The apex Yoruba socio-cultural group, The Afenifere, at the end of its regular monthly General Tuesday, declared that available field reports showed clearly that Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party won the February 25th Presidential Election.
The body said it is in support of the decision of Mr. Obi to challenge the outcome of the election in the court of law.
Afenifere in a communique signed by its Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo amd Secretary General, Chief Sola Ebiseni, at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State, noted that the presidential election “was characterised by all forms of primitive manipulations and non-compliance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022 and the Guidelines and Regulations made pursuant thereto with concomitant legislative force”.
They stated that “the results of the lawful votes at the Presidential election available to the Afenifere through credible sources confirm that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, won the said election and we, thus, support his decision challenging the contrary declaration by the INEC”.
They re-asserted that for equity, fairness, national cohesion and peaceful corporate existence, the next president should be person of its southern part and specifically the South-East.
Afenifere condemns in the strongest terms, “the campaigns of calumny and acts of ethnic violence deployed by some politicians and their hired criminal gangs in several parts of the federation during the gubernatorial election particularly Lagos State, where the election was made to appear like an inter-ethnic war between the Yoruba and Igbo which greatly led to voters’ suppression and other forms of deliberate disenfranchisement through brigandage”.
They said that acter analysong a viral video credited to Chief Emmanuel Iwunayanwun alleging indictment of the Yoruba as political rascals on account of ethnic violence deployed by politicians of the ruling party in Lagos Stat, showed that information at the disposal of Afenifere by people at the Anambra State gathering, we are convinced that Chief Iwunayanwun rightly asserted that the Yoruba and Igbo were not at war and truly condemned the shenanigans of some political rascals.
“Flowing from the above, Afenifere state that it never issued any statement and dissociate the Organisation from any such statement against Chief Iwunayanwun.
“Observed the uncouth activities and unauthorised statements in its name and to the constant denigration of the organisation, by Jare Ajayi, the National Publicity Secretary and Abagun Kole Omololu the National Organising Secretary.
“After due consideration of the unending embarrassing conduct of the two officers, the Meeting resolved that they be and are hereby removed immediately from their respective offices and their membership be suspended sine die pending further decisions after their appearance before and recommendations by the Disciplinary Committee.
“Restate our position that in accordance with the hallowed Yoruba culture of civilised conduct, Afenifere assure all persons resident in Yorubaland, indigenes and non-indegenes, of protection in the conduct of their lawful duties and thus warn all threats mongers and merchants of violence to desist therefrom”.
Rhey expressed their belief in the judiciary as an integral part of the democratic process and expect that it proves itself in the election litigations now pending before it without fear or favour and in accordance with the judicial oaths of its members.
They also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to restore the patriotic confidence and hope of the Nigerian people in the continued corporate existence of the federation which will guaranty their safety throughout Nigeria.
They also appreciate “the genuine and renewed interests of the international community in the security and democratic health of Nigeria and urge that as a prominent member of the global community, the affairs of Nigeria should continue to be of concern to the world”.
