AFENIFERE LEADER CONGRATULATES TINUBU
… EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE THAT ASIWAJU WILL UNITE AND RESTRUCTURE THE COUNTRY
The Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasonrati, OFR, has expressed joy on the electoral victory of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as he urged him to unify the country and ensure that Restructuring takes place very soon.
This was contained in a congratulatory letter personally signed by the Afenifere Leader dated March 4, 2023.
The 96 year old Leader in the letter, spoke about Tinubu’s attributes and his (Tinubu’s) visits to him in Akure in March and October last year where he endorsed him in “the presence of very many distinguished Yoruba leaders” He then appealed “to all those who might be aggrieved, one way or the other, not to do anything that will set Nigeria on fire. We should all go peaceful while the aggrieved can take legal paths to seek redress in whatever areas they felt that things were wrong.”
The letter which addressed Tinubu as H.E. Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President-Elect, Federal Republic of Nigeria
26 Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State, read in part read in part:
My dear Son,
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ELECTION
In the spirit of Omoluabi that encourages respect for the Elderly or Father-in-the-House, you ended your consultations for the Presidential race with a visit to me in Akure last year March. I prayed for you and asked you to go and secure your party’s presidential ticket. After securing the ticket, you came back to me, and in the presence of very many distinguished Yoruba leaders, I gave you my blessings on October 30, 2022. We are indeed grateful to the Almighty God that eventually saw you through. Congratulations.
I marvel at your doggedness, self-determination, self-assuredness, strong belief as well as ability to overcome daunting and ever surging challenges.
I appreciate God Almighty who gave you the strength of character and such abundance energy that enabled you to navigate through all the ever emerging intricate problems, and made it possible for you to, against the wishes of some people, traverse successfully all the States of the Federation, during the energy sapping marathon Presidential campaigns.
I am, indeed, glad to know that your hard earned victory had a very good national spread. Amongst 18 presidential candidates, you came second (2nd) in the South South; also second (2nd) in the South East; first (1st) in the South West; first (1st) in the North Central; second (2nd) in the North East; and first (1st) in the North West. What a brilliant performance!
I now appeal to all those who might be aggrieved, one way or the other, not to do anything that will set Nigeria on fire. We should all go peaceful while the aggrieved can take legal paths to seek redress in whatever areas they felt that things were wrong.
In the meantime, the President-elect, his Vice and all concerned should immediately begin to put in place measures to tackle the enormous problems confronting our dear country, Nigeria such as insecurity and economic downturn.
It is also very imperative to restructure the country and rebuild this nation that was never, at any time in the past, been so badly divided on ethnic, religious and corrupt lines.
In my interviews in the “Sunday Vanguard” of July 19, 2020, and about two years later in the “Saturday Sun” of July 30, 2022, I said of your Presidential ambition that you “meant well”, and that when you were “the governor of Lagos State, you did very well,” and could “carry” this passion and successful performances “into the Presidency”. You now have the opportunity. Now is the time for you to prove me right. I pray God to be with you, amen.
In going about this, avoid the mistake of some of your predecessors. Be fair to all concerned. Go ahead to unite the country, see and treat the country as one. Be a true Federalist. Allow the big ethnic groups to peacefully co-exist and respect one another, but also let the small ones have a sense of belonging, feel wanted and to be proud to be Nigerians.
In conclusion, I am conscious of the enormity of the responsibility that Governance entails. Let me, therefore, assure you that we are available for consultations and/or advice when the need arises.
Congratulations, my dear Son; congratulations Nigeria.
Chief (Dr.) R.F. Fasoranti ofr
The Leader
Afenifere
Peter Obi’s presidency not destined to happen in 2023 –Ohanaeze Ndigbo
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide, said Peter Obi’s presidency is not destined to happen in 2023.
The group lauded the success of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President-elect from the February 25, 2023, presidential election in Nigeria as gladdening to the heart.
Ambassador Tony Chiemelu Obizoba, Director General, Implementation and Strategic Planning, Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The statement reads: “The group visualises the success of the APC flagbearer in the election contest as one that will lead to unifying Nigerians for a focused development plan that will follow. Tinubu is capable, and we have no doubt in his capacity to ensure the continuity of the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari, which are apparent, indisputably correct and will continue to stand as good legacies for generations of leaders to come.
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo congratulates Peter Obi for creating an unprecedented commitment to changing the status quo with a hitherto unpopular political party, making great sweeps of votes across all regions but North West of Nigeria to finish an “unputdownable” third position.
This Igbo umbrella body will continue to remember Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, as one who, despite all odds, laboured hard to actualise a Nigerian President from the Igboland. However, God has not destined it to happen in 2023. It may happen later. God spares the life of everybody.
“It would not be out of place to also congratulate the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ‘s presidential candidate, His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar GCON, on his effort that ended in second position. Across the top three political parties were Igbo sons and daughters, who made the frantic effort because, as APC, PDP and LP, there are Igbo people who notably campaigned and voted.
“However, the bloc votes for Peter Obi in the South East should not be seen by anyone as anti-other Nigerians. It is more to show that the Igbo do not hate themselves, as some Nigerians say. In all, the general performances of the candidates across parties have given this group the confidence to agree that the emergence of one of them, who is Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is well deserved and we say congratulations!
“We also want to seize this opportunity to call on some elements in Lagos State, who see the vote for Labour Party’s Peter Obi as hate by Igbo people and who are, therefore, now threatening the lives of Igbo. It should not be so. From the investigations by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide, the vote in Lagos was not solely an Igbo thing but a decisive voting system by a rainbow movement of people from across the tribes, who live and do business in Lagos State. It should be seen more as Nigerians across tribes exercising their franchise to freely vote to choose their leaders in a democracy as enshrined and guaranteed in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Those who are circulating videos, threatening and drumming the sounds of war over the coming governorship and House of Assembly elections of March 11, 2023, in Lagos State because of Igbo people, should stop it in the national interest of Nigeria and the collective good of the masses of the Nigerian people.
“We would not end this press statement without having to extol the grand performance of President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, the General Lucky Irabor-led Nigerian Armed Forces, the IGP Usman Alkali Baba-led Nigeria Police Force and the Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi-led Department of State Service (DSS) as well as the leadership of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for their neutrality that brought whatever challenges emanating from the recent voting exercise to the barest minimum.
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide, therefore, calls on the President, the security forces and security/intelligence agencies to improve on the performances of the last election to make the governorship and national assembly elections of March 11 more commendable.”
Source: Daily post.
