By BOLA BADMUS, Lagos

Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, on Thursday said it would be leading the region to demand substantial restructuring “before any fraudulent elections might be held in 2023.”

Acting leader of the group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, made this known while speaking at a press conference which took place at Wheat Baker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

The press conference was attended by former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Kofoworola Buknor-Akerele, Oladipo Olaitan, Dr. Ebiseni, General Muyiwa Okunowo (retd.), Dr. Amos Akingba, Chief Adegboyega Adejumo, Chief Tunde Onakoya, Prince Elias Motiminu, Mr Segun Sani, Chief Opeyemi Agbaje, among others.

Adebajo, while stating Afenifere’s position ahead of the 2023 election, said the response of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to what he termed the equitable demands for restructuring, in order to restore Nigeria to its roots and original agreements, shall go a long way in shaping the position of the Yoruba people in the future, even as he declared pointedly “Nigeria is not only negotiable, it is evidently dying.”

“General Yakubu Gowon, to keep Nigeria one, is it for the Fulani to dominate other ethnic nationalities?

“General Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s unity is non-negotiable, for the Yorubas to be under Fulani domination?

“Your Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto; General Abdusalami Abubakar, Bishop Hassan Kukah, can we have peace without equity and justice?” the elder statesman queried.

This was just as the elder statesman restated Afenifere and National Democratic Coalition (NADECO’s) position, and further declared that there existed an urgent need to convene a Sovereign National Conference of the ethnic nationalities that had become known as Nigerians.

According to Chief Adebanjo, Afenifere’s position has not evolved, saying that the group remained convinced that the need for a Sovereign National Conference was imperative, adding:

“The basis of Nigerian state must be clearly negotiated.”

Adebanjo maintained that Nigeria as a country was dying, recalling that the country, which was negotiated before Independence in 1960, the one that was birthed and named on October 1, 1960, was mortally wounded in 1966, and slaughtered in the military coup that followed in July 1966, among others. (Nigerian Tribune)

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