Afenifere endorses Buhari for 2019, to make public declaration on January 29th.
Pan Yoruba socio-cultural organisation Afenifere has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for reelection in 2019.
It tongue lashed any other group against the decision and choice as usurpers and renegades.
Afenifere’s spokesperson Chief Biodun Akin-Fasae spoke with reporters on outcomes of a meeting of delegates and elders from the six Southwest states at the House of Chiefs, Oyo State House of Assembly Complex, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan on Thursday.
The group is led by the longest living Senator in Nigeria, Pa Ayo Fasanmi.
Notable figures at the meeting, which lasted about four hours, were a former governor of Oyo state Dr Omololu Olunloyo; Prince Tajudeen Olusi; Dr. Abayomi Finnih; Chief Adeleke Adewoyin and Prince Biodun Ogunleye.
Others were a former Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Chief Iyiola Oladokun and Pa Ayo Afolabi.
State government representatives at the meeting were Dr Morounkola Thomas (Oyo); Mr Oladosu Oladipo, Chief Akin Fasae (Ekiti); Mr Muyiwa Ige (Osun); Prof. Adebanjo Ademodi (Ondo); Mr Tokunbo Ajasin and Mr Awa Bamiji among others.
Chief Akin-Fasae said: “We have decided to host the whole Yorubaland in Ibadan on January 29, 2019.
“It is to proclaim the support of the Yorubaland for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and also to tell the whole world that the Afenifere that Baba Awolowo created before he left is still intact as a progressive movement and any Afenifere person who is not in the progressive is not part of us.
“We are now telling the whole Yoruba people and the whole world that Afenifere, as enunciated and enacted by Late Sage Obafemi Awolowo, is still intact and we are going to support President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo come 2019 Presidential election.”
Probed by reporters on why the apex Yoruba body was supporting the President despite economic situation of the nation, the spokesperson said:
“The issue of the economy is a collective issue.
The economy has been bastardised for years and as at now, President Buhari is trying his best.
“So, Buhari is trying his best and the best is yet to come.
That is why we are asking people to vote for him, particularly in this Yoruba land come 2019 presidential election.”
When asked the authenticity of the support in view of another faction of the group supporting another presidential candidate, Akin-Fasae said:
“The Afenifere that we know in Yorubaland is a progressive movement and this is where we are today in Ibadan. The other Afenifere (the Ayo Adebanjo Group) that is talking about Atiku are not part of us. They are usurpers in the group. They are usurpers.
“Yoruba is not divided. There are not so many Afeniferes.
Yoruba is a nation and even during the time of Baba Awolowo, there were dissent voices, so we are not embarrassed.”
