The leaders of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political group, Afenifere, has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as its preferred candidate ahead of the Saturday, February 14, 2015 presidential election after allegedly obtaining a commitment to implement the recommendations from the National Conference from Mr. President.
The group announced its stance on Tuesday, January 27, 2015 after a 90-minute meeting with President Jonathan at the residence of Chief Reuben Fasoranti, the Afenifere leader.
Also present at the meeting were Vice President Namadi Sambo; Olusegun Mimiko, the Ondo State Governor; former National Chairman and Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign organisation, Ahmadu Ali and Ondo PDP chieftain, Olusola Oke.
Oke revealed that the group took its decision to support President Jonathan because of his stance on restructuring the country.
Afenifere, which made its view known via a communique also expressed doubt over the possibility of elections holding as planned over the slow pace of distribution of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The communique.which was read by Afenifere’s spokesman, Yinka Odumakin stated thus: “On the 2015 general elections, as far as Afenifere is concerned, the presidential election is to decide between two options, freedom or slavery. We have elected to choose freedom, freedom from bondage, internal enslavement and internal colonialism that holds most Nigerians down under the bastion of domination and we are convinced that the 2014 national conference report has laid the basis for the proper restructuring of the country.
“That the most important change that Nigeria desires this time is structural change. The change that ignores the restructuring of Nigeria is not a change. Most of the issues that are confronting us, insecurity, corruption have their link with the faulty constitution that we have and to change the constitution is the most important change that we need.
“Also, we want to warn in Yoruba land that we should be careful of those who promise change and do not believe in the restructuring of Nigeria and those who boycotted National Conference and described it as diversion.
“Afenifere believes that election is a democratic contest about party programme and not about using terror to frighten them into submission that the use of terror to demand for the mandate of the people must be discouraged, not to reward anybody that tries to terrorise them to access power.
“Meeting viewed with seriousness the share incompetence on the part of INEC, the INEC that wanted to create 30,000 polling units few weeks to the election has yet to distribute almost 30 million voter’s cards. When you look at the table INEC has given, what they tell us is that in each state, this is the PVC received hiding the total number of registered voters.
“As at today, over 15 million voters have not received their cards. This is 54 million. There are 14 million voters cards that are yet to arrive the country. If we put them together it is almost half of the total electorate that are yet to collect their voter’s cards.
“We want to warn that any election conducted on the basis of disenfranchising almost half of the electorate, the outcome will not be credible or acceptable.
“The 2014 national conference has become a campaign issue. Anybody that did not participate in it or does not believe in it does not love our people. They want to drag them into slavery. With the report of 2014, we believe we have crossed Jordan, we are yet to get to promise land but we should not be sent to Egypt.
“The constitution says election should hold not earlier than 150 days to handover date and not later than 30 days. February 14 INEC has chosen, for us May 29 is sacrosanct, there is no controversy over this. Within those days between February 14 and 30 days to May 29, INEC has a mandate to make sure that most voters are not disenfranchised. If INEC is able to give all registered voters their PVC before February 14, all well and good.”
