By Awa Bamiji
The reason for this valid statement is not far fetched at all. Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s Afenifere endorsed former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, 2015, and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2019, both of whom were then the Presidential Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but now smartly claiming that it had shifted its loyalty from the PDP Candidates to Mr Peter Gregory Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
But the Two remaining Afeniferes in Yorubaland, both of which are progressive to the core are solidly behind the rave of the moment, wealth Creator, Yoruba Political Leader and now the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu ever since.
“No matter how far a lie travels, within a twinkle of an eye, the truth will surely catch up with it”. Greatest Nigerian People, please, please and please, don’t let us allow ourselves to be deceived once again by Pa Ayo Adebanjo.
Today in Yorubaland, we have Three Afeniferes, namely, Chief Reuben Fasoranti’s (now Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s) Minority Afenifere, which endorsed former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the Three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidates in the Southwest States of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo (Engineer Seyi Makinde, now Governor Seyi Makinde) ahead of the 2019 Presidential and Gubernatorial Elections respectively and the late Senator Ayo Fasanmi’s (now headed by Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi after the deaths of its two past Leaders, including Senator Biyi Durojaiye), majority Afenifere, this is the noble platform that blessed the 2019 aspirations of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and the Three All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidates in the Southwest Regional States of Lagos, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun, Prince (Dr) Dapo Abiodun and Oyo, Chief Bayo Adelabu.
The Third One but not the least, Hon Wale Osun led Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) was equally involved in the Afenifere majority endorsement of the APC candidates because they are always forthcoming in the decision making of the core Progressives in Yorubaland.
The interpretation of the above is that since 2011, the PDP candidates always get the minority Afenifere endorsement while the APC candidates do get majority Afenifere endorsement.
But Today, the minority Afenifere has suddenly shifted its self seeking support to its beloved Son, Mr Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), whose Political Party scored only 2, 729 votes in Osun 2022, less than 1%, a situation where the Two major Political Parties in Nigeria, APC and PDP got 375, 027 and 403, 371 votes respectively, the Labour Party (LP) is now contesting Presidency with the Two major Political Parties without being in control of a single Local Government Councillor in Nigeria, not to talk of having one Local Government Chairman out of 774 Local Government Chairmen in Nigeria. Presently, we have 22 All Progressives’ Congress (APC) Governors, 13 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors and 1 All Progressives’ Grand Alliance (APGA) Governor, 0 Labour Party (LP) Governor and 0 New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP).
This is the objective X – Ray of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate being recommended to Yoruba and Nigeria at large by Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s Minority Afenifere. We are very sure that the Labour Party (LP) won’t be able to win in Peter Obi’s home State of Anambra come 2023 because a well established Political Party, All Progressives’ Grand Alliance (APGA), is fully in control and it has a Presidential Candidate for the coming election.
Before the fierce battle of the APC Presidential Primaries, the APC Northern Governors Forum was solidly behind the Southern Nigeria’s Presidency at that time, the so called Afenifere Leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, announced in a social media viral video that “the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would soon bury his head in shame after being monumentally betrayed by the Northerners at the Eagle Square, Abuja, the venue of the Primary election and that he wouldn’t be able to get the APC Ticket to contest 2023 Presidency as a Yoruba man, no matter how he tries”.
A factional Leader of Afenifere, wishing a generally accepted Yoruba Political Leader bad luck, what an irony? As Grand Council of Yoruba Youths with track record of achievements and involvement in the real Politics of Yorubaland since our Group inauguration in Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, in October 2021, Twenty years ago, we do ask ourselves, “is this the core mandate of Afenifere that we used to know, Yoruba Socio – Cultural and Political Organisation?”
But took solace in the fact that he is just a megaphone of minority Afenifere whose voice has no meaningful impact in the general election and real Politics of Yorubaland.
Another startling revelation is that other notable Leaders of Afenifere, Senator Abraham Adesanya, Chief Bola Ige, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, Senator Biyi Durojaiye, Prince Tajudeen Olusi and Hon Wale Osun, former Chief Whip, Federal House of Representatives, had contested and won elections into Political Offices but Pa Ayo Adebanjo had never contested any election, even as a Local Government Councillor, let alone winning the seat.
This is the main reason why he is not politically calculative and therefore, his Group’s earlier endorsed PDP Presidential Candidates had been losing out in Yorubaland because he doesn’t know what it takes to win an election within a Community.
He based his argument on zoning and peaceful co – existence, as a Senior Lawyer, we expected him to hit nail on the head by being on the neck of the PDP before the Primaries to ensure the Party reciprocates the 2015 and 2019 bloc vote’s gestures of the Southeast with the Presidential Ticket but he chose to be wiser than all of us advocating Rotational Presidency by keeping quiet because Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is his main man come rain, come shine, until the Party came up once again with its usual deceit and disowned Rotational Presidency in favour of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, unlike the ever appreciative APC which rewarded its strong hold in the Southern Nigeria, Southwest, with its ticket.
This is the sincere and popular decision that is being condemned by Pa Ayo Adebanjo. Please, who is fooling who?
The conclusion of Pa Ayo Adebanjo is that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who emerged victorious as the APC Presidential Candidate should drop his ambition for Mr Peter Gregory Obi for his main man, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, of PDP to have easy ride in the 2023 Presidential election.
“Once a friend, is always a friend”. To openly canvas votes for him might not be an easy task because of popular advocacy, “Rotational Presidency”.
By God’s grace, after the electoral victory and swearing – in ceremony of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023, we Yorubas, shall all have a cause to thank God Almighty and appreciate His key messangers on Earth, the APC Northern Governors’ Forum, for allowing us to break the jinx of another 30 year old wasted opportunity of Bashorun MKO Abiola, a Yoruba man pushed forward by the entire Region, to be declared Winner of the election, after Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s 1963 futile effort to become the President of Nigeria due to a gang – up or outright betrayal within the Yorubaland as being openly championed by Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s Minority Afenifere.
We are equally aware of some politically biased Civil Societies that just sprang up without any good intention or idea of what is really obtainable but seriously working for the Opposition in the interest of their own wellbeing while claiming they are speaking on behalf of multitude. By their statement, you shall know them. Anyway, 2023 is around the corner, the day God Almighty will separate Chaff from grains.
For Obi-dients, we will never join issue with any one of you, we shall continue to ignore your daily insults both online and offline and pursue vigorously the winning votes through door to door Campaign, mega Rallies in Stadia, massive Roadshows across the States of the Federation, friendly approach and intellectual fireworks like the one exhibited by Senator Kassim Shettima, the APC Presidential Running Mate, at the ongoing Eko Atlantic City Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference because the difference between the Veteran in the field and Novice is like Heaven and Earth. May God Almighty crown our collective efforts in 2023. Odu’a a gbewa o!
Ajijagbara (Comrade) Awa Bamiji is the Aare – Apapo (President – General) of Agbarijo Egbe Odo Yoruba (Grand Council of Yoruba Youths).
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