Politics

2023: Why Nigeria Needs Peter Obi – Ayo Adebanjo

Published

3 years ago

September 26, 2022

Leader of the pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, on Monday, restated the organisation’s position to support the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi saying “he is the man we trust to restructure the country back to federalism on the assumption of office in 2023.”

He said Afenifere’s decision to support Peter Obi was because power is yet to shift to the South East.

Adebanjo, who addressed newsmen in Lagos, said Afenifere will not compromise its principle of equity, justice and inclusiveness because “one of our own, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is a frontline candidate.”

Justifying the Yoruba body’s position for a South East presidency, he said: “Before the political parties conducted their primaries, a journalist asked what is my view about the 2023 general election? I answered and said the country should be restructured before the general election, and he followed up by asking if there should be an election, which zone should the Presidency come from? And I unhesitatingly said, of course, the South East.

“After the primaries and the candidates emerge with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from the South West, APC, Atiku Abubakar on the platform of PDP and Peter Obi on the platform of Labour Party and I announced Afenifere’s support for Peter Obi, not a few Yoruba leaders question why I should be supporting Peter Obi a candidate of Igbo extraction against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a Yoruba.

“I took my time to explain that the presidency is not a contest between the Yorubas and the Igbos and to a large extent I was able to convince many.

“But ever since social media has been filled with comments tending to ethnicize the campaign instead of making it issue-based.”

Besides, he said: “Afenifere has therefore decided to address you today and through you educate the public on the ideological and equitable principles which have influenced our decision.

“Let me state here for the benefit of those who may not know that Afenifere is the Yoruba interpretation of the social welfarist ideology of Action Group, a political party founded by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his colleagues in 1951 with strong advocacy for federalism as the best form of government to give the federating units the requisite autonomy to thrive and peacefully compete among themselves for the ultimate development of Nigeria.

“The system was eventually agreed to by our founding fathers, Sir Ahmad Bello, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and endorsed by the Colonial Secretary, Sir Oliver Littleton in 1954 and embodied in the 1960 independence constitution.

“This is the modest contribution of Afenifere in shaping Nigeria into a federation where no person or ethnic nationality is oppressed.

“In the countdown to the 2023 General elections, long before the parties conducted their Conventions to elect their National Executives and candidates, we had insisted and still advocate restructuring before the elections proposing a synthesis of the identical Resolutions of the 2014 National Conference and the APC El Rufai 2018 True Federalism Committee. We did this as Afenifere and on the wider spectrum of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF.

“We did this, when politicians, in spite of the monumental crises confronting the nation, carried on as if the attainment of power was all that mattered, the SMBLF unanimously proposed that the minimum condition for a peaceful transition from the disastrous 8 years of Buhari’s government headed by a President of northern extraction was to have the next President from the South.

“This position was also supported by all the southern governors, irrespective of their political parties at a meeting held in Asaba, Delta State.

“Incidentally, this North/South consideration which is at the very root of our amalgamated federation is also the most important testament of all political parties in Nigeria. The principle of federal character enshrined in the constitution dictates that the government of the federation or any part thereof shall not be concentrated in any ethnic group or a combination of such groups.

“It is, therefore, preposterous to adopt this principle for employment in public service admissions in educational institutions, political appointment, the composition of the executive committee of a political party only to jettison it in the most important question of rulership of the federation.

“In this quest for peace, based on equity and inclusiveness, the Yoruba took the first turn at the zoning arrangement in 1999, and that led to the emergence of Chief Obasanjo, the current Vice President is a Yoruba man and equity forbids us for presuming to support another Yoruba person for the presidency in 2023. The current President is a Fulani from the Northwest and by virtue of the zoning arrangement that has governed Nigeria since 1999, power is supposed to return to the south imminently.

“The southwest 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.

“We cannot continue to demand that the Igbo people remain in Nigeria, while we at the same time continue to brutally marginalize and exclude them from the power dynamic.

“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.

“We will not compromise this principle of justice, equity and inclusiveness because one of our own Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is a frontline candidate.

“It is on this same principle, we condemn the PDP for sponsoring Atiku Abubakar, a Northern Fulani Muslim to succeed General Muhammadu Buhari another Fulani Muslim who will soon complete 8 years of uneventful and disastrous rule. One can imagine such a high degree of political insensitivity.

“On our part, we are certainly not alien to sacrificing personal interests in the quest for a National coalition to put Nigeria on the proper pedestal.

“In this regard, the starting point is Southern solidarity for which we first enacted a handshake across the Niger, which had dovetailed to the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum. We enjoin the labour movement, students, youth organisations, women associations, and every institution whose foundation is built on fairness and justice to join hands in this task of enthroning a democratic government by supporting Peter Obi. If we are sincere and honest about keeping Nigeria together in peace, the slogan henceforth should be

“To keep Nigeria one, everyone should be Obi/Datti compliant.”

“In the final analysis, let it be said that we have no apologies but due courage of our conviction that Nigeria can only prosper in righteousness.

“For me, in the twilight of my sojourn on earth at 94, it is too late to derail me on the track of true federalism and National inclusiveness on which I have travelled for over 70 years of my life as one of the few surviving initial prophets, I prefer to ascend on a chariot of fire, fueled by justice and equity.”

Adebanjo further said, “he is the man we trust to restructure the country back to federalism on the assumption of office in 2023.”

He said Afenifere’s decision to support Peter Obi was because power is yet to shift to the South East.

Adebanjo said Afenifere will not compromise its principle of equity, justice and inclusiveness because “one of our own, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is a frontline candidate.”

Politics

Wike Gives Update On Rivers Emergency Rule Expires Date

Published

9 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday said he was optimistic that the state of emergency declared in Rivers State would expire on September 18.

He disclosed this after casting his vote in the ongoing local government election in the state.

Wike noted that the expiration would pave the way for the state House of Assembly to resume its legislative duties.

“As far as we are concerned, this election is peaceful, people are trooping out and at the end of the day the election has been conducted successfully and peacefully.

“I do know that by September 18, the state of emergency will expire and the state assembly will come back to their job and we will have a government at the grassroots level,” Wike said.

The minister said the conditions were right for lifting the state of emergency since both state and local governments now had representation.

He added, “The coast is clear for the state of emergency to be lifted, being that the state government has its representative and the local government has its representatives, so we are good to go.”

President Bola Tinubu had earlier imposed emergency rule in Rivers to prevent a political crisis, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the State House of Assembly for six months.

Politics

APC Mocks Jonathan As ADC Woos Him For 2027 Race

Published

15 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

There were reports on Friday that a powerful group within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is wooing ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2027 presidential race.

A source close to both the former president and the ADC told Saturday Tribune on Friday that the former president is seriously considering running in the coming presidential polls.

The source confirmed that key figures in the ADC were comfortable with having Jonathan as their presidential candidate and had, in fact, reached out to him.

He, however, said the former president was torn between his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “which made him” and the ADC which, he said, had the potential of winning the election if it gets the right candidate.

“Former President Goodluck Jonathan is worried that certain persons with strong links to the Villa may still be in control of the PDP and may mess him up if he seeks the ticket of that party,” the source said.

He added that Jonathan’s only issue with the ADC is that “he does not want to contest against Peter Obi because he believes that the Igbo people supported him in 2015 even more than his own Ijaw people.”

While saying emphatically that Jonathan would run except he could not find a platform, the source added that “if he chooses our party (ADC), we will zone the presidency to the South. If he does not come to us, we will have no option than to go to the North because politics is about numbers and winning.”

Jonathan can’t defeat Tinubu —APC

Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot defeat its candidate, Bola Tinubu, in the presidential election coming up in 2027.

The Lagos State chapter of the party said on Friday that it had observed with keen interest the growing speculations surrounding the possible return of former President Jonathan to the 2027 presidential race, and therefore made the submission.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jonathan, who lost his re-election bid in 2015 to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, is being persuaded by supporters to seek reelection in 2027 general elections.

NAN reported APC’s spokesman in Lagos State, Mr Seye Oladejo, in a statement on Friday as noting that the former president’s political relevance to unseat President Bola Tinubu, remained in doubt.

“While we acknowledge the former president’s role in the peaceful democratic transition of 2015, an act that rightly earned him praise at home and abroad, we must state, in clear terms, that Nigeria has since moved beyond the politics of sentiment, nostalgia, and symbolism.

“The challenges of today and the future require bold, capable, and forward-thinking leadership, not a return to the comfort of a past that was far from perfect.

“Let it be clear: good luck alone is not a governance strategy,” he said.

Oladejo alleged that the Jonathan administration, from 2010 to 2015, left behind a country grappling with severe structural weaknesses, from unchecked corruption to alarming insecurity and economic inertia.

“While some may look back on those years with rose-tinted glasses, we must remind ourselves that nostalgia is not a policy platform.

“Emotion cannot drive economic reform, and sentimentality will not fix power generation, insecurity, youth unemployment, or education sector decay,” the APC chieftain said.

Oladejo said that the party also noted the constitutional and political complications of a potential Jonathan candidacy.

According to him, having completed more than one term in office, any return bid will inevitably trigger legal contention and political instability — distractions Nigeria cannot afford in a time when decisive action is needed across all sectors of national life.

“Moreover, the former president’s political relevance has been complicated by his recent engagements across party lines.

“His flirtation with the APC and absence from PDP’s strategic rebuilding efforts raise questions about his loyalty, clarity of vision, and political intentions,” he said.

According to him, the APC remains focused on consolidating progress, implementing reforms, and engaging the Nigerian electorate with fresh ideas and credible candidates who reflect the aspirations of a dynamic, youthful population.

“We believe the future of Nigeria does not lie in recycled leadership but in visionary governance rooted in integrity, innovation, and resilience.

“Former President Jonathan remains a respected elder statesman. His legacy as a peaceful democrat is assured. But legacies are not manifestoes, and nostalgia is not governance.

“We urge Nigerians to reject emotional shortcuts and stay focused on the need for capable, accountable and transformative leadership.

“As 2027 approaches, let us not reach backwards in desperation, but move forward with courage and clarity,” Oladejo said.

Politics

Marafa’s Loyalists Quit APC, Cite Neglect Of Zamfara

Published

2 days ago

August 29, 2025

Editor

Supporters of former Zamfara Central Senator, Kabiru Marafa, have announced their resignation from the All Progressives Congress, citing what they described as injustice, marginalisation and deliberate neglect of the state by the ruling party and President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The group, operating under the aegis of the Senator Kabiru Marafa Consultative Forum, met in Kaduna on Wednesday and Thursday, August 27 and 28, 2025, to deliberate on the worsening political, security and developmental situation in the state.

At the end of the meeting, the forum issued a communique signed by its chairman, Bashir Mafara, secretary Mannir Tsafe, and seven others, formally announcing their exit from the APC.

The communique partly read, “After broad consultations and critical review of the prevailing circumstances, the political structure of Distinguished Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa OFR, CON across the 147 wards in Zamfara State unanimously resolved as follows:

“The entire structure with all its supporters hereby formally resigns from the All Progressives Congress in protest against the sustained injustice, mistrust, marginalisation, and deliberate neglect of Zamfara State and its people.

“That we shall, in due course, announce our next political direction, guided by the collective interest of the good people of Zamfara State.”

The group expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the state, pointing to official data and community reports on rising kidnappings and killings.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, hasn’t been able to address the persistent and senseless kidnappings and killings of innocent citizens in Zamfara State, despite the explicit promises made during the 2023 presidential campaign.

“The situation continues to worsen, leaving communities devastated and hopeless,” they said.

The group claimed that reports indicate that out of the 4,722 people kidnapped over one year in Nigeria in 2024, 1,203 are from Zamfara State, followed by Kaduna State with 629.

It added that the Zamfara Circle Community Initiatives reported that 25 villages suffered attacks in one week after the just concluded by-election, with 145 people kidnapped and 21 killed.

The senator’s loyalists also accused the government of politicising insecurity for electoral gains.

On the alleged marginalisation of Zamfara in political appointments and projects, the communique added, “Despite the fact that Zamfara State was one of only two states in the entire North-West geopolitical zone that delivered victory to President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election spearheaded by Distinguished Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa OFR, CON as State Coordinator which the President himself categorically acknowledged during his speech shortly after his declaration as the winner of the 2023 election by INEC, the state has been sidelined in all facets of human developments including protection of lives and properties, infrastructural developments as well as fair representation in political appointments.

“The state was given only a Minister of State, while most states in the Northwest got two slots.

“But more unfair is the allocation given to the Southwest that corners the entire financial sector, with some states getting multiple ministerial slots and countless agencies.

“For example, Lagos state, where President Tinubu lost the election, has enjoyed overwhelming patronage in terms of appointments and developmental projects, underscoring the deliberate marginalisation of Zamfara state, where Mr. President won.”

The forum concluded by accusing the APC leadership of betraying its founding principles of fairness and justice.

“The above actions and omissions negate the fundamental principles of justice, fairness, equity and accountability upon which the APC was founded.

“Conscience demands that genuine progressives must stand for truth and resist injustice, no matter how uncomfortable,” it said.