The Senator Ayo Fasanmi – led faction of the Pan Yoruba socio-cultural and political group, Afenifere, and all the governors of the South-West zone have endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, urging the people of the zone to vote for the duo in the forthcoming elections.
It took the decision at a Pan Yoruba Summit held at the International Conference Centre University of Ibadan, where Fasanmi said, “We are here today to give our support to our President, Muhammadu Buhari who has performed very credibly enough in his short time in office. He is the only candidate that is preaching about corruption- free society, while all the rest candidates are just preaching about corruption”.
The endorsement followed a motion moved by Senator Olabiyi Durojaye from Ogun State and seconded by Elder Yemi Alade from Ekiti State.
Fasanmi said, “I am so pleased that the South-West region is under the fold of the APC government; our governors are APC governors. We also have our own son as the Vice President of the country. So, we have to make sure we still remain relevant in government and we can only achieve this by casting our votes for President Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo come February 16.
“We must use our votes to honour the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who we will be celebrating his 110 years posthumous birthday come this March. You all know that our late Sage, Awolowo was always on the progressive fold. We should use this election to celebrate him. So, come March after the polls, we will have cause to do double celebration”.
In his goodwill message, the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by the Former Minister of State for Defence, Chief Demola Seriki said that he stood on whatever the Afenifere stood for, saying, “I stand with Afenifere in whatever direction they are heading towards in as much as it is for the interest of the entire Yoruba and to move Nigeria forward. I stand with Afenifere group on the issue of federalism and devolution of power. I also stand with them on the issue of local government autonomy.
“I believe that President Buhari will work on federalism, local government autonomy and devolution of power to all states. Also, Federal Government must be supervising the local governments so that they are not shortchanged.
“I am therefore using this medium to urge all the people of south-west to go all out en mass and cast their votes for President Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo so that all these can come to reality”, Tinubu said.
Also in support of the endorsement were: the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, represented by his deputy Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun who was represented by his deputy Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, Prof. Bayo Ademogbin who represented the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo who represented Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state and Dr. Charles Akinola who represented Governor Oyetola Gboyega of Osun State.
In his own remark, Osinbajo said,” I believe very strongly that we the Yoruba not only take a preferred place in this current administration, but we also have a very strong voice and I don’t think it is right to just let all these go away from us. If we the Yoruba must have a strong voice, then we must all cast our votes for President Buhari.
“We in the south- west have benefitted a lot from this government. Look at the Lagos Ibadan express way; it is almost completed and the Lagos to Abeokuta rail project which will be commissioned in some days to come are nothing but a grace to boost the economic activities in the south-west”, Osinbajo said.
New Telegraph
