Afenifere faction declares its support for Buhari and Osinbajo following Ibadan summit

PAN-Yoruba socio-cultural group Afenifere has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari and vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo as its candidates in next February's presidential elections saying that their vision for the country aligns with their views.

Next year, Nigeria goes to the polls, with the presidential election expected to be a two-horse race between President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). According to Afenifere, any other Yoruba group that fails to align with its current position would be treated usurpers and renegades.

Afenifere, spokesman Biodun Akin-Fasae stated the group’s position yesterday after a meeting of delegates and elders from the six southwest states in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Notable figures who attended the meeting included a former Oyo State governor Omololu Olunloyo, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Dr Abayomi Fini, Chief Adeleke Adewoyin, Prince Biodun Ogunleye, Prince Iyiola Oladokun and Pa Ayo Afolabi.

Governments’ representatives at the meeting included Dr Morounkola Thomas, Oladosu Oladipo, Chief Akin Fasae, Muyiwa Ige, Professor Adebanjo Ademodi, Tokunbo Ajasin and Awa Bamiji.

Mr Akin-Fasae said: “We have decided to host an event in Yorubaland in Ibadan on January 29 to proclaim the support of the Yoruba for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and to tell the world that the Afenifere that Baba Awolowo created before he left is still intact as a progressive movement. Any Afenifere person who is not in the progressive camp is not part of us.

“We are now telling the Yoruba people and the whole world that Afenifere, as enunciated and enacted by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, is still intact and we are going to support President Buhari and vice president Yemi Osinbajo in the 2019 presidential election. The economy has been bastardised for years but as at now, President Buhari is trying his best, bringing it up.

"Look at the programmes for youths and the children through empowerment and school feeding programmes in schools across the country. Already, 26 states are in the programme and many other states are happy with it."

He added that the other Afenifere  group lead by Ayo Adebanjo that is talking about Abubakar Atiku are not part of them as they are usurpers. According to Mr Akin-Fasae, their group is led by the longest living senator in Nigeria Pa Ayo Fasanmi.