By Linus Aleke
Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has restated its endorsement of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, as its choice for the 2023 elections.

The sustenance of the group’s endorsement trails applause by a corresponding association, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group in Nigeria and worldwide, which yesterday lauded the Afenifere position.

Yesterday’s Afenifere’s remarks followed a recent statement credited to Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, over the group’s endorsement of Obi.

The governor, in a statement, had said that “Afenifere doesn’t speak for the Yoruba people on the endorsement of Peter Obi, and Afenifere is divided in respect of the purported endorsement.”

But in its response, Afenifere said the decision to support Obi was a corporate decision of members of the group and some socio-cultural organisations in the country.

A statement by the group read, “The attention of Afenifere has been drawn to the statement credited to Akeredolu on the Afenifere’s endorsement of Obi for the 2023 presidential election.

“To start with, we wish to reiterate the principled stance of the Afenifere that the next president of Nigeria should be from the south, and all things equitably considered, from the South-East, for which we consider Obi by his verifiable records as a two-term governor of Anambra State, the most competent and suitable.

“It is a well-considered corporate decision debated for over a year of regular monthly meetings, validly conveyed in the best tradition of the organisation.

“While we have our respect for Akeredolu and his colleagues of the Southern Governors Forum, which he leads, on their stand that it is only equitable that the next president of Nigeria after eight years of Buhari of Northern Nigeria extraction, should come from the South, we will not lend our support to those who betray that cause for the lucre of vice presidential porridge, or those who see equity only from the parochial prism of their ethnic benefits.

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“We wish to state for the umpteenth time that Afenifere is not an apolitical Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, but from its inception, political machinery as the embodiment of the worldview of the Awolowo School of Thought on how Nigeria, a country of ancient and entrenched nationalities, may best be equitably, inclusively and peacefully governed.

“These thoughts are encapsulated in the theory and practice of true federalism in its equitable and logical dimensions.
“Finally, let it be said that Afenifere is not alone in this decision that the next president should be from the south, and South-East specifically.
“Afenifere conveyed its resolution through a press conference on September 26, 2022, and the Middle Belt Forum which converged in the Jos Township Stadium on September 28.

Other ethnic nationality organisations, particularly of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum, of which Afenifere is a member and other well-meaning Nigerian leaders, are in agreement with this resolution which the nation needs most for an all-inclusive sense of belonging and attendant peaceful coexistence.”

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide yesterday applauded Afenifere and the Middle-Belt Forum (MBF)’ positions for endorsing the candidacy of Obi.

The organisation, however, warned the governors of Southeast states against using monetary inducements and fake appointments to lure a section of Ohanaeze chieftains to endorse an unpopular presidential candidate, against the popular choice of Nigerians, which according to them is the LP’s presidential candidate, Obi.

Ohanaeze, in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, described the LP candidate as a national movement.

Meanwhile, the Director of Media and Publicity of the ruling APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Bayo Onanuga, has described the endorsement of the presidential candidate of Obi, by Afenifere, as a ruse.

But Onanuga, in a statement via his Facebook, described the report of Afenifere’s endorsement of Obi as false.

According to Onanuga, Afenifere’s endorsement of the LP presidential candidate was done by one man with no electoral value.

He said, “This story is not true. There is no division in the South-West over Tinubu’s candidacy. The Afenifere endorsement of LP’s candidate is a ruse. It was an endorsement by one man with no electoral value, either in his Ijebu Ogbo village or Lagos.”