Ohanaeze hails Adebanjo-led Afenifere for backing Obi

Forum 1 year ago

Ohanaeze hails Adebanjo-led Afenifere for backing Obi

The Igbo apex socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has praised pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere for its courage, dedication and unwavering commitment to the ideals of pan-Nigerianism and the continued existence of the country without caring whose ox is gored.

Afenifere had in a communique issued on Tuesday insisted that the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who is from South-East Nigeria won the February 25 presidential election and backed Obi’s court case to challenge the victory of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, who was declared winner of the poll.

The communique was issued after the organisation’s monthly General Meeting held at the country home of its acting leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State.

But on Wednesday, the leader of the organisation, Reuben Fasoranti, in a statement, rejected the position taken by Adebanjo and the others.

Fasoranti had named Mr Adebanjo as the acting leader of the group in 2021 when he stepped down from the position on account of his advanced age.

But while Fasoranti backed Tinubu, Adebanjo supported Obi.

Ohanaeze, which favours Adebanjo’s position, issued a stament on Thursday, and hailed Afenifere for standing on the side of justice.

The statement, titled, “Ohanaeze Salutes Afenifere On Its Resolutions,” was signed by Ohanaeze’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia.

It read partly, “We are not unmindful of Afenifere’s role in restoring democracy to Nigeria through the platform of the National Democratic Coalition. The Afenifere leaders, with alliances across the national divide and the international bodies launched the National Democratic Coalition, which eventually gave birth to the Committee for Unity and Understanding, among others.

“We thank the Afenifere for telling the world the true position on the February 25 presidential election, which, from available, records was won by Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

“Furthermore, we commend the Afenifere for its reassurances of security and support to stranger communities in Yorubaland, particularly Lagos State, and for reassuring our people that there is no war between the Yoruba and any other group in Nigeria, especially the Igbo.”

Ohanaeze also commended the Afenifere for strongly condemning the “campaigns of calumny and acts of ethnic violence deployed by some politicians and their hired criminal gangs in several parts of the federation during the gubernatorial election.”

“We join Afenifere in restating our confidence in the the judiciary with the hope that it will acquit itself creditably in the election litigation presently before it without fear or favour,” the organisation said.