Politics

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

Published

2 years ago

January 16, 2022

Editor

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

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

11 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.