Afenifere faults Supreme Court”s ruling on presidential poll

● Insists on true federalism, state police

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has faulted the Supreme Court for affirming the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25, 2023, election.

The body said by the apex Court’s verdict, the electoral reforms achieved through Nigerians’ agitations and the billions of taxpayers’ money spent by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conducting the 2023 elections had been wasted.

In its first official comments after the October 26 unanimous decision by the Court’s seven-member panel, dismissing the petitions of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP)’s Peter Obi challenging Tinubu’s victory, the group said in a statement as follows; “Afenifere viewed with dismay, the recent judgment of the Supreme Court which ratified the brigandage with respect to particularly the Presidential Election.

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“Unfortunately, by the Supreme Court decision, the electoral reforms achieved through the agitations of Nigerians for quality control through technological devices and the billions of Naira spent on the infrastructures in that regard is now wasted.”

Afenifere’s statement encapsulated the entirety of the communique issued at the end of a meeting that took place at the residence of its leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo in Ogbo Ijebu, Ogun State.

Signed by its Secretary-General, Chief Sola Ebiseni, the communique faulted the purchase of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) worth N160 million for lawmakers in the national assembly, saying; “Afenifere refuses to appreciate the calls for more sacrifices from Nigerians by the government which members continue to maintain obscene and ostentatious lifestyles.

“It is most preposterous that members of the National Assembly are approving for themselves vehicles worth N160 Million Naira because of the deplorable state of the Nigerian roads as if the responsibility to fix the said roads rests with the tax players.

“The Executive is unable to convince the people of the need for a yacht worth billions of Naira beyond ostentatious living. The costs of fuel rise prohibitively, and the exchange of Naira climbs astronomically without any verifiable economic policy.”

The Communique further said; “Afenifere remains committed to the ideals and principles of True Federalism. We are proud of our decision and efforts on the 2023 Presidential Election and remain convinced that it was the right step towards a united, secured, and prosperous Nigeria and its continued corporate existence.” [

● On True Federalism, State Police we Stand

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, said there was no backing down on its demands and support for true federalism and state police as major keys to addressing the many economic and security challenges facing the country today.

Accordingly, the group has called on the Federal Government to immediately consider adopting and implementing the reports of the 2014 National Conference and that of the former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai Committee on Federalism to restructure the country and effectively change the 1999 constitution.

“Afenifere therefore calls on the civil society and well-meaning Nigerians to join hands in ensuring that the Federal Government immediately sets the necessary modalities in motion in this regard. Afenifere further endorsed the resolutions of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum to which Afenifere belongs, on the need to restructure Nigeria using the Reports of the 2014 National Conference and the APC/El-Rufai Committee on Federalism as the irreducible template”, the body said.

Afenifere, which restated its position while decrying the rate of insecurity in some parts of the country as a result of the attacks by some armed herdsmen and bandits on farmers, noted that sustained criminal activities against farmers have raised the need for the creation of state police to enhance proper security at the grassroots level.

Rising from a meeting at the residence of its leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo in Ogbo Ijebu, Ogun State on Wednesday, the group said; “Afenifere observed the alarming resurgence of insecurity occasioned by the activities of armed cattle herders terrorising farmers, killing, maiming the people and raping women for which some of the host communities are no longer comfortable living with the killer guests.

“While Afenifere appreciates the constitutional rights of every Nigerian to live in any part of the country of his/her choice, it is important to stretch and ensure that such citizens live in peace with their hosts and respect their culture and economic prosperity.”

A communique issued by its Secretary General, Chief Sola Ebiseni, further stated thus; “Afenifere reiterates our opposition to open grazing of animals and reaffirms preference of ranching as the world’s best practice of animal husbandry. No matter is better than now to consider that state governments be allowed to play greater roles in the security of their states by establishing their internal policing mechanism”

Addressing the contentious issue of true federalism, the body said; ”Nigeria is a federation of entrenched ethnic nationalities which has failed to evolve into a nation because of the deviation from the foundational principles of federalism. Except Nigeria is ruled based on true federalism which guarantees inclusiveness, fairness, egalitarianism, justice, and a sense of belonging to all its constituent groups, it will remain a mere geographical expression with no sense of common nationalism and patriotism.

“In this connection, the only way forward is to change the military constitution now and re-enact a constitution in line with the foundational federal principles. Except this is done now and quickly all the errors that occasioned the type of electoral shenanigans witnessed during the 2023 general elections and the technical judgment by the Supreme Court legitimising the same will fester ad infinitum.”
[with Forefront report]