Oodua Nation Carpets Afenifere Over Jonathan’s Endorsement

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News, Nigeria 2015 Election Thursday, February 5th, 2015

By Niyi Adeyi – Lagos – The Oodua Nation, Washington D.C, United States (US) has faulted recent Afenifere-pan Yoruba social-cultural group’s endorsement of the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, for re-election; passes vote of no confidence on him as well as pronounced its support for the opposition Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.

General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd)

While noting that the approval dashed the collective hope of the Yoruba nation, the group in a statement by its Chairman, Samuel Ogunbanwo Ayodele, stated although, it supported the exercise, it has no evidence of President Jonathan’s plan to implement the recommendations of 2014 National Conference if re –elected, saying it was likely to be another unfulfilled promise.

The group which lamented about neglect and marginalization of the Yoruba by the present administration maintained that there was nothing to show for the electoral support for “candidate Jonathan” who it revealed got overwhelming votes from the South-West during 2011 Presidential election.

It indicated: “At the national level, President Jonathan’s performance leaves much to be desired. The handling of Boko Haram insurgency has been a disgrace to us as Nigerians. Nigeria continues to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world. In actual fact, President Jonathan’s recent utterances appeared to be endorsement and encouragement to looting of public funds. Report of the forensic audit of NNPC was submitted to the government, but yet to be made public!

“We strongly believe that President Goodluck Jonathan does not have what it will take to fight insecurity and corruption in Nigeria. These are two problems that have been pressing for attention since President Jonathan’s first day in office. As Yorubas, we of the OODUA NATION, draw inspiration from our sayings that Àṣesílẹ̀ Làbọ̀wábá; Ẹni Ṣu Sílẹ̀ Á Padà Wá Bá Eṣinṣin (whoever defecates on the floor will cope with flies), meaning that you can only reap where you have sown”.

The Oodua Nation reiterated that it did not believe President Jonathan had a record that qualified him for a second term in office, rather “his record calls for his replacement”.

For this reason, the US organization affirmed it has decided to give its support to General Buhari (rtd) who it affirmed was running on his past record of discipline and integrity, adding that the Nigerian leading opposition candidate had commitment to attend to the three issues, including security, unemployment and unrivaled corruption, which it restated have become Nigeria’s albatross.

It stated it was impressed that restructuring of Nigeria for a true federalism was one of the cardinal principles on which General Buhari political aspirations were anchored.

Meanwhile the Oodua Nation has called on people of the South-Western Nigeria including other extractions who reside in the zone to vote en-mass for General Muhammadu Buhari in the February 14, 2015 Presidential election.

“It is also the way forward if we want Boko Haram and other insecurities that have plagued different regions of Nigeria for some time, solved once and for all. Above all, General Buhari is someone that can be taken for his words when he said he will fight corruption, and money saved from fighting corruption will be used to improve services and infrastructures as well as used to create jobs for our children that are unemployed after graduating from school.

The group equally expressed hope that General Buhari would implement the recommendations of the National Conference accordingly, so as guide against wasting the efforts ploughed into it.