Politics

Afenifere, PANDEF, YCE Kick As Osinbajo Says Nothing Can Separate Nigeria

Published

4 years ago

January 16, 2022

PAN Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Afenifere and Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), weekend, took up Vice President Yemi Osinbajo over his claim that nothing, including ethnicity, religion and class, could separate the country.

Osinbajo had been quoted at the wedding ceremony of Fatima, daughter of the Minster of Education, Adamu Adamu, held in Bauchi State, as saying, “This is one occasion where you will find that our country is truly a united country and that nothing can separate this country, not ethnicity or religion or class.

“There is nothing that can separate this country. In fact, this is excellent evidence of the fact that this country is united”.

PANDEF, speaking through the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ken Robinson, said, “Certainly, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was merely trying to delight his hosts and the audience at the wedding ceremony in Bauchi.

“He probably was attempting to be politically correct and that could be the only rational portrayal of his statement because he knows that Nigeria can indeed disintegrate.

“Beyond ethnicity and religion, several other issues could cause the break-up of Nigeria and indeed any other country.

“And nobody should be under any illusion that the unity of this country can be sustained if those saddled with running the affairs of the country perpetuate the kind of discriminatory biases, nepotism, bad public policies, political exploitation and the awful disservices to citizens being witnessed.

“Political leaders, today, like never before, are sowing the seeds of disintegration and separation. A situation where a section of the country is preferred over others, without even chances for citizens to participate in political and economic opportunities in the country, is incongruous and conflicting.

“The level of disaffection in the country is alarming, a good majority of citizens feel alienated and are disenchanted. “What is going in the country indicates that this country only belongs to all Nigerians superficially, while, in the actual sense, the country belongs to only a few.

“Otherwise, how would anyone fathom the thought that after eight years of a northern presidency, under President Muhammadu Buhari, another northerner should be talking about emerging as President of Nigeria in 2023?

“Let us learn from history, many countries in the world have disintegrated or broken up due to one reason or the other.

“Ours will not be first or the last. Let us restructure Nigeria to attain a truly federal and egalitarian country; it’s the only possibility”.

Aspiration

Afenifere, on its part, described the Osinbajo statement as an aspiration.

Abagun Kole Omololu, National Organising Secretary of the Yoruba influential group, said the statement was not necessarily a reflection of where we are.

“But, as with all aspirations, we must work to accomplish it. Otherwise, we may fall short”, Omololu said.

“The APC government, led by Gen. Buhari, has, through its actions and policies, divided Nigeria in such a way that only a visionary next President can unite us.

“He must do away with the fake military imposed unitary constitution masquerading as federal constitution.

“Our founding fathers agreed on the basis of how to be called a Nigerian, but the military junta came and threw away the agreement without our consent.

“To achieve this aspiration, the Vice President, as a person, must stand on the side of the truth.

“Arrogance of power has destroyed Nigeria. Naked stealing, corruption of unimaginable proportion, gross incompetence in the management of the nation affairs, ungoverned territory, crime and insecurity, breakdown of law and order and unhappy and disillusioned citizens, especially the youths, has further disunited us”.

Unity

Also reacting, Secretary-General of YCE, Dr. Kunle Olajide, observed that good governance and people-centered governance are the only things that can perpetually preserve the unity of the country.

Olajide noted that if anybody is interested in the unity of the country, such a person must be ready to govern with fairness and equity.

He said: “Such person must do justice to the distribution of natural resources of the country. And no group must consider itself superior to others.

“Good governance, people-centered governance is the only thing that can perpetually preserve the unity of the country.”

In his contribution, National President, Agbajowo Advocacy for Yoruba People’s Right (AAYPR), Otunba Muyideen Olamoyegun, commended Osinbajo for defending the country’s unity.

Olamoyegun explained that the Buhari administration has tried to ensure that the country remained one in terms of religion and ethnicity.

Speaking in the same vein, a member of Ekiti State Council of Elders, Chief Fredrick Ajayi, explained that Nigeria will never separate or divide on the basis of religion.

Related Topics:#Osinbajo Afenifere PANDEF

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Politics

PDP Issues Certificate Of Expulsion To Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, Others

Published

1 day ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it has issued certificate of expulsion from the party to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other 10 members earlier expelled from the party.

The party National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen after the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

The other members, according to him, include the embattled National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the Legal Adviser, Kamarudeen Ajibade, former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

They also included Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah Nnanna, George Turna and Chief Dan Orbih, expelled during the party National convention in Lagos.

Turaki said that the original copies of the certificate had been dispatched to the owners through a courier service to serve as proof that they were expelled from the PDP.

“We have taken note of the fact that Nigerian law frowns on dual membership of political parties, and so we have sought to make it easy for them.

“Now that they are no longer members of our party, and now that the National Convention, which is the highest decision-making organ of our party, has expelled them, we have decided to issue them certificates of expulsion.

“So, when they go to register with other political parties in Nigeria, they will show these certificates as proof that they are no longer members of the PDP.

“By that, those parties will not accuse them of trying to belong to more than one political party,” he said.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, and other government agencies, to take note.

“Very soon, members of the society will be informed via proper disclaimers that any person henceforth who decides to do business with them, any or all of them, does so at his or her own risk.

“They are no longer members of the PDP. They have been expelled,” he added.

He added that the NWC also reviewed some of the cases filed against the party and lawsuits instituted by the party, particularly the one that related to the “unlawful and illegal” closure of the party’s national Secretariat, the Legacy House, and the Wadata Plaza.

“The brief we received from our lawyers is that we are on sound ground, and that very soon, the law will take its course,” he said.

Turaki said the NWC was prepared to be saddled with the responsibility of performing its functions as the leading opposition party in Nigeria.

“We are going to provide a credible alternative to Nigerians. We are going to provide credible leadership to Nigerians by the special grace of God from 2027,” he said.

Politics

Adebayo Adedamola Wins Osun PDP Governorship Primary

Published

2 days ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, popularly known as FRYO, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for the August 8, 2026 governorship election in Osun State.

The primary election took place in Osogbo on Tuesday amid heavy security presence.

Announcing the result, chairman of the primary election committee, Humphrey Abba, stated that Adebayo secured 919 votes out of 957 accredited ballots, giving him a clear victory in the contest.

Explaining that there were 20 void votes following the withdrawal of one of the candidates, believed to be Governor Ademola Adeleke, Abba added, “The candidate that got the remaining votes is Adebayo Adedamola with 919 votes and he stands elected and returned.”

DAILY POST reports that despite announcing his resignation from the party, Adeleke’s name appeared on the ballot paper for the PDP governorship primary.

Party officials said the exercise was conducted in accordance with established guidelines, with accredited delegates participating in the voting process.

Adeleke announced his resignation in a letter dated November 4, 2025, and addressed to the PDP leadership at his ward.

On Monday, Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, had announced that the governorship primary slated for Tuesday, December 2, 2025, has been postponed due to leadership crisis at the national level.

But a faction of the party went ahead with the exercise in Osogbo on Tuesday.

Politics

Gov Adeleke Resigns From PDP

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial primaries of the party.

Adeleke’s resignation letter, dated November 4, 2025, sighted by Tribune Online was addressed to the PDP ward chairman for Ward 2, Sagba Abogunde, Ede, Osun State.

According to the letter, the governor’s resignation was based on “the current crisis of the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).”

According to the letter, titled: “Resignation of my membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’ read, “Due to the current crisis of the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my Membership of the People’s Democratic Party with immediate effect.

“I thank the People’s Democratic Party for the opportunities given to me for my elections as a Senator (Represented Osun West) and as Governor of Osun State under the People’s Democratic Party.”