The governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, claimed that the choice of the leading Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, to back Peter Obi of the Labour Party for president in the 2023 general elections did not represent the preferences of the South-West.
Akeredolu remarked during a Twitter chat that was based in Akure, the administrative center of Ondo State.
Remember that Afenifere’s leader, Ayo Adebanjo, declared last month that the organisation would back the former governor of Anambra State in the election that would take place in 2019 in the sake of justice and equity.
Akeredolu, however, stated:
The group’s opinions do not reflect the position of the Yoruba people, and Afenifere is divided on the alleged endorsement.
“Asiwaju is well-versed on the issues facing this country. He has participated in the fight to establish democracy and create a functioning federal government in the nation.
He noted that one of the founding members of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which battled for the restoration of democratic governance in the mid-1990s, was Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.
Additionally, he asked Nigerians to put competency as the primary consideration when choosing their leaders, noting that “there are many conversations regarding the Muslim/Muslim ticket.
And some of us have made an effort to educate our people. The problem cannot be with the ticket itself.
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“The biggest concern is who will represent the nation. You should bring up inclusivism as well as the ticket issue when discussing it.
Should the North regain the presidency? No!
“And what do we have now? Obi and Asiwaju are the only ones remaining.
The two will then be weighed.
About Asiwaju, some of us have chosen a course of action. The choice is made in light of what he has to offer.
“When combined, Tinubu weighs more, according to the scale. We assess his intelligence, experience, and the potential benefits of his presidency.
Knowledge and capacity are distinct from religion and ethnicity. We have consistently chosen wisdom and ability.
“We made our points very clear. The President needs to visit the South. Now is the time for us to make a decision.
We must consider our ability and expertise when choosing. And Asiwaju Tinubu is on the ascendant,” he said.