2023: Why we chose Peter Obi over Tinubu— Afenifere

The leader of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo, has disclosed that the group backed Peter Obi of the Labour Party to prevent the continuity of the “incompetence” of the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a tweet posted on Friday, Mr Adebanjo said the group is opposed to the candidacy of Bola Tinubu, a Yoruba man, who is the candidate of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) because the former Lagos State governor will ensure continuity of the current administration.

“Ahmed Tinubu will only give continuity to Buhari’s incompetence. We know Peter Obi very well, that is why we endorse him. He will not disappoint Nigerians, let us put our tribal difference apart and vote right leaders,” the tweet reads.

The group had earlier declared support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Obi, an Igbo man and former governor of Anambra State, on the basis that it is the turn of the South-east geopolitical zone of the country.

“Yes, we have endorsed Peter Obi. My reason for supporting him is because, based on equity and justice, the presidency should go to the South-East,” Mr Adebanjo had said some weeks back.

Mr Tinubu and Afenifere have a long history. In 1999, the former contested and won the Lagos State governorship election under the Alliance for Democracy, a political party of Afenifere. He was re-elected in 2003 under the same party.

Disagreement within the Alliance for Democracy (AD) led Mr Tinubu and his allies to form the Action Congress (AC), which later turned to Action Congress (ACN) and moved to the party. Atiku Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was the presidential candidate of the AC in the 2007 election.

Since Mr Tinubu left the AD, it has been no love lost between him and Afenifere.

In 2015, Afenifere endorsed Goodluck Jonathan against the APC. Although the decision divided the group as some state chapters opposed the endorsement.

Again in 2019, the group was divided in its endorsements. A faction led by Reuben Fasoranti endorsed Mr Atiku of the PDP, while another group led by Ayo Fassanmi endorsed Mr Buhari of the APC.