Yorubas home and abroad have been told to shun the endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates by corrupt elements who parade themselves as members of Afenifere, a pan Yoruba socio-cultural organization.
A statement signed by the President of the Initiative to Save Democracy, Sunday James Akiloye in Lagos said that the only faction of Afenifere recognized by all Yorubas home and abroad is the faction led by Chief Ayo Fasanmi.
Akinloye described those parading themselves as Afenifere leaders as turncoats who have been rejected by Yoruba. “They want to drag Nigeria and Yoruba back, but we will not let that happen. We, Yorubas, solidly stand behind the decision of Chief Ayo Fasanmi’s decision to support Buhari/Osinbajo.”
“These miscreants who parade themselves as Afenifere are directed by their stomachs. They are greedy old men who have mortgaged the future of their children and also want to do same to the Yoruba nation.”
Recall that Afenifere led by Senator Ayo Fasanmi in Ibadan had announced the endorsement of the reelection of President Muhamadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo stating that the support for the APC Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates is in the best interest of the region.
Akinloye then challenged any true Yourba to state the Omoluabi attributes that the likes of Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Yinka Odumakin and others possess.
“Let use have it on record that they have been rejected by the Yorubas,” Akiloye said. “You will recall that these lots have been ousted from Afenifere, they are only after what they can eat.”
“An Omoluabi in Yorubaland is a person of honor who believes in hard work, respects the rights of others, and gives to the community in deeds and in action. Above all, an Omoluabi is a person of integrity. Please can you find any of these attributes in these persons?” he quizzed.
“These ones have lost it; they are for the highest bidder. There is nothing that they can say or do that is not motivated by money and greed.
“Yorubas have honour, dignity and integrity and we carry these attributes with pride. As our forefathers used to say, a good name is better than silver and gold.”
“Prof Osinbajo is our son and he embodies everything that Yorubas stand for, we are proud to associate with him locally and internationally, adding that, “He has more than delivered.”
Akinloye then compared Osinbajo to Pa Obafemi Awolowo, stressing that, Osinbajo has once again put Yorubas on the map like Awolowo did. “The great Awolowo, was a man fully committed to the democratic process as such he understood fully well that everyone cannot believe in the same ideas but to castigate a man and brandish him an unbeliever just because he is married into the family but does not attend the existing denomination clearly shows how myopic the Afenifere have become.
“A band of old men whose time in the sun has been graced by having their pockets laced with government greens, having to make mention of the Vice Presidents’ vocation as a pastor must be the confirmation that these relics of a bygone era also hold nothing sacred but to simply wrestle in the dirt not unlike students but more akin to pupils simply because of a disagreement with Bola Tinubu is but a show of shame.”
