Akeredolu: True Federalism’ll Thrive Under Tinubu’s Presidency
•Says Afenifere doesn’t speak for Yoruba
•He’s healthy, fit to rule Nigeria, Nnamani declares
•Group knocks governor, re-echoes stance on Obi’s endorsement
Fidelis David in Akure and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has identified true federalism as one of the strong pillars that could be used to build a prosperous nation like Nigeria, saying it would be the fulcrum upon which the Bola Tinubu presidency would be established.
Akeredolu, who said true federalism would help to properly address the fundamentals of nationhood, however, declared that a Pan-Yoruba Socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, doesn’t speak for the Yoruba people.
This is as a former Governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, has affirmed that Tinubu was medically fit to rule Nigeria.
However, in a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, Akeredolu while speaking on the topic, “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Business of Nation Building”, during a Twitter space session on Sunday, assured Nigerians that Tinubu would bring a new vista into governance and ensure that true federalism thrived if voted into power.
He said, “If voted into government, Nigerians will see that we have someone in place, who had gone through democratic tutelage. He has been Governor. He led a party. Asiwaju has deep knowledge about the problems of this nation. He has been part of the struggle to ensure that democracy is enthroned and that a true federal system runs in the country.
“Tinubu’s contributions in the NADECO struggle cannot be denied. As you know, when the 1993 presidential election was held, MKO Abiola was deemed to have won that election. But the military junta canceled the election and set up an interim government.
“Asiwaju Tinubu and few others felt they weren’t going to take it. They formed the NADECO and fought the military. They stood on June 12. Then the whole country conceded that the next president must be from the Southwest.
“That is why in 1999, only former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae, ran for the election. You cannot deny Asiwaju his role. He ran away from the county and set up the Radio-Kudirat. Those were the struggles we had before the forth republic came up,” Akeredolu stressed.
On the endorsement of Peter Obi by Afenifere, the governor declared that the group doesn’t speak for the Yoruba people, noting that Afenifere was divided in respect of the endorsement and emphasised that the group’s views do not represent the stance of the Yoruba people.
“Prostitution in politics is very common. When you have people, who stick to their guns and stay in their parties, you must respect them. It is not common. We have seen a situation,where governors left their parties and go to other parties. For me, it is integrity. Asiwaju has shown integrity. Asiwaju’s form of politics has taught us that political prostitution is unnecessary.”
On his part, Nnamani, a chieftain of PDP representing Enugu East in the Senate, foremost medical doctor and surgeon, reiterated in a statement yesterday that, Tinubu had no health challenge as erroneously being speculated and that his health could not in any way affect the discharge of his responsibilities.
“I join millions of our people in welcoming Tinubu home. It is to God’s Glory that he returned in superb health. I continue to strongly condemn those who wallow in ignorance in celebration of real and fantom infirmities. Rather, I lend my voice in celebrating his giant strides in governance, reforms and local administration in all its spheres. I salute his political deftness and sagacity.
“As a medical professional, with honour, I attest to his good health and capacity. Tinubu has a robust general system, acute awareness of his holistic environment, political and in all ramifications. A bubbling and vivacious personality, his confidence easily apparent, sharing and transferable. Engaging him clearly demonstrates good health, energy and readiness to rumble,” Nnamani said.
He, however, reaffirmed his acquaintance with Tinubu over the years, which he said was without prejudice to his current political commitments.
Afenifere Knocks Akeredolu, Re-echoes Stance on Obi’s Endorsement
Meanwhile, Afenifere has lambasted Akeredolu for saying the group doesn’t speak for the Yoruba people.
The group while reacting to the governor’s in a statement made available to journalists in Akure by its Secretary General, Sola Ebiseni said Afenifere was not alone in the decision that the next president of Nigeria should be from the south and south-east specifically.
The statement read: “The attention of the Afenifere has been drawn to the statement credited to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on the Afenifere endorsement of Mr. Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, for the 2023 Presidential election.
“In the statement widely reported today (Monday) in the media, the Governor of Ondo State, who is also the South West Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was quoted to have said ‘Afenifere doesn’t speak for the Yoruba people on the endorsement of the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi and that’ Afenifere is divided in respect of the purported endorsement.
“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 Mr. Peter Obi, by his verifiable records as a two-term Governor of Anambra State, 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 Governor 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 the 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 own ethnic benefits”, the group stressed.
It noted that Afenifere is not an apolitical Yoruba socio-cultural organisation but, from its inception, a 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.
He pointed out that these thoughts were encapsulated in the theory and practice of true federalism in its equitable and logical dimensions.
According to Afenifere, “This philosophy, which has inexorably become the Yoruba view, also defines Afenifere’s position, either as the initiator of NADECO, on restructuring and the need not to deny the South East their turn of Nigeria Presidency. Those who strive to abridge or diminish the full effect of this covenant, on the altar of partisan or cheap tribal interests, cannot claim to speak for the Yoruba and Afenifere is not in competition with them.”
It averred that the Yoruba people know the organisation which speaks for them and taking hard decisions which others may initially despise but come round to embrace in the fullness of time.
“Let it be said that Afenifere is not alone in this decision that the next President of Nigeria should be from the south and south-east specifically. Afenifere conveyed its resolution through a Press Conference on the 26th September 2022, the Middle Belt Forum converged on the Jos Township Stadium on the 28th of September.
“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.”
The group advised governor Akeredolu and those seeking equity that the leadership of Nigeria was not the exclusive preserve of the north.
