2023: Afenifere reaffirms backing for Obi, urges Nigerians to be ‘Obi-Datti compliant’

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has reiterated its backing for the Labor Party (LP) Presidential candidate, Dr Peter Obi, ahead of the 2023 General Elections in the country.

According to the group, ‘it won’t compromise its cherished principles of justice, equity, and inclusiveness.’

Making the declaration, Monday, the Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, during a press conference at the Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos, further urged ‘every Nigerian to be Obi-Datti compliant.’

Obi is running for Aso Rock’s top job alongside Datti Baba-Ahmed.

“The South-West has produced a president and currently sits as vice-president. The South-South has spent a total of six years in the presidency. But the Igbo people of the South-East have never tasted presidency in Nigeria…Now that the power is due back in the South, equity demands that it be ceded to the Igbo.

“We cannot continue to demand that the Igbo people remain in Nigeria, while we at the same time continue to brutally marginalize and exclude them from the power dynamic.

“Peter Obi is the person of Igbo extraction that Afenifere has decided to support and back. He is the man we trust to restructure the country back to federalism on the assumption of office.

“We will not compromise this principle of justice, equity, and inclusiveness because one of our own Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is a frontline candidate,” he said.

The Afenifere leader further defended his group’s position on Peter Obi, Monday, insisting that Nigeria’s next president should come from the South-East to keep the country together, while also quelling dissenting voices along the lines of secession.

“We enjoin the labour movement, students, youth organisations, women associations, and every institution whose foundation is built on fairness and justice to join hands in this task of enthroning a democratic government by supporting Peter Obi.

“If we are sincere and honest about keeping Nigeria together in peace; the slogan henceforth should be ‘To keep Nigeria one, everyone should be Obi/Datti compliant.’

“For me, in the twilight of my sojourn on earth at 94, it is too late to derail me on the track of true federalism and National inclusiveness on which I have travelled for over 70 years of my life as one of the few surviving initial prophets, I prefer to ascend on a chariot of fire, fueled by justice and equity,” Adebanjo added.

It would be recalled that late in July, this year, Pa Adebanjo, had expressed support for the candidacy of Obi, against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Pa Adesanya has continually stated his support for Dr Obi, just as the Afenifere leader continued to root for a South East presidency in 2023, insisting that it is the turn of the region to produce the country’s next leader.

Writing on his Facebook page, Pa Adebanjo described Tinubu’s victory as only continuing the incompetence of the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, as he further urged the Nigerian electorate to ‘put tribal difference apart and vote right leaders.’

“Ahmed Tinubu will only give continuity to Buhari’s incompetence. We know Peter Obi very well, that is why we endorse him. He will not disappoint Nigerians, let us put tribal difference apart and vote right leaders,” Pa Adebanjo wrote.

Also, earlier same month of July, the Afenifere leader while featuring as guest of an online radio show, Yoruba Gbode, described Dr Obi as having the ‘ability to rule independently and would not disappoint Nigerians.’

Adebanjo who also disclosed that he has since lost confidence in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, said Obi can rule the country ‘without influence of these criminals in the government. Tinubu will only give continuity to Buhari’s incompetence.’

 It is only Peter Obi that can rule independently without the influence of these criminals in the government. Tinubu will only give continuity to Buhari’s incompetence.

“We know Peter Obi very well, that’s why we endorsed him. He will not disappoint Nigerians, let’s put tribal differences apart and vote the right leader in.

“Tinubu sold Buhari to over 200 million Nigerians for his own selfish interest of wanting to rule after Buhari. None of them loves Nigeria,” the Afenifere leader said.

According to him, the South East region should be trusted with power, adding that the geopolitical zone deserves to lead the country.

“Easterners are also Nigerians, they deserve to rule. I am sure Peter Obi will not subject himself to the northerners like Tinubu and Atiku would do if elected,” he added.