Peter Obi’s endorsement based on equity and federal character – Afenifere

Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere says its endorsement of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is based on the principle of equity and federal character as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria. The leader of the group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday.

What did he say?

Ayo Adebanjo said supporting Peter Obi’s candidacy is Afenifere’s way of contributing to shaping Nigeria into a federation where no person or ethnic nationality is oppressed, Adding that it would be preposterous to adopt the principle of federal character and equity for employment in public service, admissions into unity schools and tertiary institutions, political appointment and composition of the executive committees of political parties, only for it to be jettison when it comes to electing someone into the office of the president of the federation.

“The south-west, as I have pointed out, has produced a president and currently sits as VP; the south-south has spent a total of 6 years in the presidency, but the Igbo people of the south-east have never tasted presidency in Nigeria, and now that the power is due back in the south, equity demands that it be ceded to the Igbo…” he argued.

Was that all he said?

Adebanjo also said the country cannot continue to brutally marginalize and exclude the Igbo people from the power dynamics and expects them to remain loyal to Nigeria, stating that Afenifere trusts Obi to restructure Nigeria if he is elected.

“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,” he said.

Chief Adebanjo also disclosed that the group will not compromise on the principle of justice, equity, and inclusiveness because one of their own, in the person of Bola Tinubu is contesting for the president.