Sunday Aborisade, Abuja
The South West Agenda (SWAGA), campaigning for the election of 2023 Presidential ambition of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has disclosed that the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, will soon meet with the Pa Reuben Fashoranti -led Pan Yoruba group, Afenifere in Akure, the Ondo State Capital.
SWAGA commended the Coalition of Northern Elders for engaging in robust discussions with the frontline presidential candidates of political parties, who are participating in the next year’s general elections.
The Coordinator of SWAGA, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, stated this in an interview with THISDAY in Abuja yesterday.
He said other regional groups like the Afenifere and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, should emulate the northern elders before hurriedly endorsing presidential candidates for the 2023 elections.
Adeyeye, a former spokesperson for the Afenifere, the pan Yoruba social, political and economic organisation, said endorsing candidates without having a robust engagements with them was not proper.
He also explained that Tinubu was ready to engage any of the regional ethnic group in the country who wants to know his agenda and programmes for the nation.
Adeyeye said: “The coalition of the Arewa leaders groups had set the ball rolling. The Afenifere, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other ethnic groups in Nigeria should start the process of engaging with the candidates for a better understanding of their plans and agenda for the country.
“The recent endorsements of the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, by Chief Ayo Adebanjo on behalf of Afenifere and that of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo without engaging other candidates were not in order.
“Elders are supposed to be more dispassionate in their actions and activities. The Arewa leaders have done well in this regard.”
Speaking specifically on the Afenifere’s position to back the Peter Obi’s presidency, Adeyeye said Tinubu had since initiated a process of continuous engagement with the Pan Yoruba group before Chief Ayo Adebanjo suddenly jumped the gun and endorsed Obi.
He said: “Asiwaju Tinubu was in the Akure country home of the Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fashoranti, who received him in company with other eminent Yoruba leaders in attendance, when he was still a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
“The engagement was robust and Baba Fashoranti asked Tinubu to repeat the visit whenever he emerged as the candidate of the APC.
“We were therefore, very surprised when we saw Chief Adebanjo addressing a news conference and claimed that the Pan Yoruba group had endorsed Obi for president.
“Asiwaju Tinubu is still engaging with the Afenifere and very soon the authentic leader of the group will formally endorse it’s candidate for the 2023 presidential election because Chief Ayo Adebanjo is just in an acting capacity.
“Asiwaju Tinubu is due in Akure very soon to see Pa Fashoranti and prominent Yoruba leaders would be in attendance.”
Adeyeye, who was also, a one-time spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was too desperate for power.
He said the former vice president ignored the PDP constitution and used his influence to allegedly hijack the party’s ticket despite the gentleman arrangement that the position should be zoned to the South.
Adeyeye said, “I am a former spokesperson for the PDP and I know the party’s constitution, especially the gentleman arrangement on the zoning formula. It stated that power should rotate between the South and the North. Atiku disorganized this arrangement simply because he was desperate for Power.
“He is not trying to whip up ethnic sentiments which would never work in his favour because the northern elders know better than him.”
