May 29: We ‘re prepared to defend Tinubu’s mandate – OPCI

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May 29: We ‘re prepared to defend Tinubu’s mandate – OPCI

A Socio Yoruba group, Oodua Progressives Care- Initiate(OPCI) has vowed to defend the mandate given to the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu by vast majority of Nigerians during the March 25,2023 presidential election.

The group said it would resist the repeat of the outcome of June 12 election when the election of another Yoruba man, the late Chief Mashood Abiola was annulled, by mobilising all the sisters organizations, Yoruba sons and daughters within and outside the country to defend the said mandate,stressing that,”We are ready to lay down our lives if situation demand.”

The president of OPCI, Chief Maruf Olanrewaju addressing a crowded press conference in Ilorin, Kwara State capital on Sunday described the election that produced Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as free,fair and credible.

He said the group is prepared to resist any attempt by those it called enemies of democracy to stop or disrupt the inauguration of Tinubu on May 29, 2023.

Olanrewaju in his speech titled” Stop drumming for anarchy on May 29 handing over”, said

“In 2023 presidential general election, it is undisputable fact Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the election with over eight million votes and he was declared winner by INEC chairman, Professor Mahmud Yakubu and certificate of return was given to Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“After the declaration by INEC, some opposition political parties raised alarm and they were advised to seek redress through the legal means in the court of law by President Muhammadu Buhari, of which we believe it’s part of democracy.

“Ladies and gentlemen, members of the press, it came to us as a surprise the action of some hooligans, criminals, enemies of democracy and enemies of our dear nation calling for military coup against our democracy and interim government instead of proper handing over to the president – elect on May 29.

“Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, members of the press, my fellow comrades, OPCI as an organisation that believe in efficacy of law, democracy and the unity of Nigeria, we shall not and we will not fold our hands and be watching these elements of destruction to truncate our democracy. If it was done successfully on June 12 election in 1993, we will not allow it to repeat itself on February 25 election. We will do everything possible to defend the democracy, to sustain the democracy, to grow the democracy and to defend the mandate given to Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

” We will mobilise all the sisters organizations, Yoruba sons and daughters within and outside the country to defend the said mandate. We are ready to lay down our lives if situation demand; we shall fight this battle without looking back to logical conclusion. We will not allow any intruder or any parasite individual or group of people to dethrone our democracy; we are ready to defend it with the last drop of our blood.

” We are hereby calling on some elements of destruction that are parading themselves as Yoruba leaders, either individuals or an association no matter how highly -placed calling for cancellation of the election or any statement from whoever call him/ herself a leader in Yoruba land capable to cause crisis or turn our nation to state of anarchy will be rejected and dealt with.

“We are in a global village, the era of analogue has gone and gone forever, they should not attempt to draw us back by any means, to be forewarned is to be foreharmed.”