Afenifere: Neither Military Coup Nor Intervention by Foreigners Can End Hunger

•Says Ekiti safer under Oyebanji

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organisation, Afenifere has condemned the outcome of the recent hardship protests, saying neither a military to take over of power or intervention by external forces could end hunger in Nigeria.

National Publicity Secretary of the group, Jare Ajayi, in a statement, therefore warned that the country’s democratic dispensation should not be sacrificed or truncated for any reason.

He recalled that during the recently hardship protests, some protesters brazenly hoisted flags associated with Russia, while some maintained that the insignia on the flags were that of the Nigerian army.

The group further noted that some people, who hid under the guise of the recently concluded protests called on  the army to stage a coup and seize the reign of political power in the country.

“Whether the flags belonged to Russia or the army, the message is more or less the same – inciting the taking-over of government through an unconstitutional means,” he said.

He added that since the protest was ostensibly to push for an end to the hunger and sundry other deprivations in the land, “how come they look in the direction of either the military or a foreign  power.

“It would be a height of self-delusion to assume that the intervention of either the military or a foreign power will put an automatic stop to the hunger in the land.”

Afenifere stressed that while democracy might not yet avail the country the best that it desired and deserved, it was still the best in the current situation because of its inherent characteristics of making the people the custodians of political mandate.

“Its elastic nature allows various tendencies to operate, as long as they do so within the ambit of the law. This is a far cry from what is obtainable under a military government,”Afenifere added.

Meanwhile, Afenifere has lauded the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, in the area of security, saying the governor in his almost two years in office has demonstrated uncommon commitment to the welfare and socio-economic development of the state.

The deputy chairman of Afenifere in Ekiti state, Bayo Idowu spoke to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital yesterday after a tour of major ongoing road projects across the state, equally lauded the governor for his investment and commitment to the upliftment of the state’s infrastructure.

“Looking at security situations in other states of the federation, scores are being killed, people are being kidnapped. I must say Ekiti is safer now under Governor Oyebanji”

Idowu who spoke on behave of the state chairman, Elder Yemi Alade, also identified the ongoing construction of Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki road, the first phase of Iworoko, Are and Afao Ekiti road and other township and community roads visited were testament of the administration’s dedication to improving the landscape of the state through road construction.