By LAIDE RAHEEM, Abeokuta

The Yoruba Appraisal Forum (YAF) has alleged that a former president, some northern clerics and other politicians are engaged in a grand plot to destroy the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

YAF also alleges that the former president, whose identity it did not reveal, and some of his loyalists had resolved to fund Yoruba separatist Sunday Igboho ‘to destabilise Nigeria through his nefarious, unpatriotic and violent agitation for an independent Yoruba nation.’

The Forum further claims that the former president and his group have concluded plans to hold a meeting in Abuja, FCT, on Thursday, June 10 ‘to fine-tune the strategy for the plots for the removal of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration from power.’

YAF made the claims on Tuesday during a motorcade it organised in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, in continuation of its sensitisation of the people of the South West on what it described as ‘the alleged evil plans by some individuals and groups to launch attacks on security agents and formations in the Sout West.’

Addressing reporters on behalf of the Forum, its National Coordinator, Adesina Animashaun, urged Nigerians, government and security agencies to immediately take appropriate actions against the former president and members of his group in order ‘to nip their evil plans in the bud.’

He equally urged the federal government and the security agencies to ensure that the planned meeting by the former president and members of his group scheduled to hold in Abuja on Thursday and even any other day, must never be allowed to hold.

The motorcade, led by hundreds of commercial motorcycle (“Okada”) riders and people dancing to music provided by a live band, went round Abeokuta and other parts of the state to distribute handbills and leaflets, calling on the people of the South-West not to fall for the deception by those claiming to be championing Yoruba self-determination and independence.

They also used the rally to call on the people of the southwest to eschew violence, live in peace with other residents of their states and expose troublemakers in their midst.

‘It has come to YAF’s notice that a disgruntled former leader of this country and other politicians, working in collaboration with their allies in other parts of the world, have begun some clandestine meetings in one of the South-West states, with the ultimate objective of undermining and bringing down the incumbent administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, out of sheer malice,’ Animasahun said.

‘YAF has identified these disgruntled leaders, particularly a former president of the country, some Northern clerics and some politicians in the South-West and other parts of the country as the core and nucleus of these group of unpatriotic leaders plotting against President Buhari.

‘YAF makes bold to tell all Nigerians that this group of disgruntled leaders has concluded plans to hold a meeting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday, June 10, 2021 to fine-tune the strategy for their plots for the removal of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration from power.

‘This group, YAF has also found out, have resolved to begin to fund the self-styled Yoruba freedom fighter, Sunday Igboho, to destabilise Nigeria through his nefarious, unpatriotic and violent agitation for an independent Yoruba nation.’

Animasahun appealed to President Buhari, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police and other major stakeholders in Nigeria to rise to the challenge and stop the alleged plans by the alleged group to destroy the incumbent administration and cause unprecedented chaos in the country.

He expressed the Forum’s readiness to mobilise its members across Yorubaland and the country to ‘confront these unpatriotic former leaders, if they fail to desist from their nefarious plans to destabilise the country.’

YAF National Coordinator disclosed that it had already sent petitions on the matter to President Muhammadu Buhari; governors of the six southwestern states, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Speakers of the Houses of Assembly in the southwest, Service Chiefs, National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ministers of Police Affairs, Interior, Defence and Information and National Orientation.

‘YAF has also petitioned prominent traditional rulers in Yorubaland, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo; Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona; Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji; Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji; Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Aladesanmi III; and other prominent leaders in Yorubaland.

‘A stitch in time, they say, saves nine. We must not watch idly as the enemies of the country hide under the smokescreen of agitating for Yoruba self-determination and independence to engage in activities that are not only inimical, but also injurious to the continued corporate existence of the entire Nigerian nation,’ Animashaun stated. (Daily Sun)

Update news