*Our records show that Obi won the 2023 presidential election— Afenifere.
*Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour is a person of Yoruba origin.
Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, has called on the international community to show "special concerns" in Nigeria's elections "in the interest of the peace of the global community.”
"The international community should show special concerns in the ongoing electioneering process in Nigeria in the interest of the peace of the global community,” said Afenifere.
Afenifere also dissociated itself from any congratulatory message made in its name "to any candidate as illegally declared by the INEC," following the February 25, 2023, presidential election in Nigeria.
The group said rather, it supports the decision of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi to challenge the outcome of the election in Court.
In a communique issued after its Special General Meeting at Isanya-Ogbo, Ogun State, on Tuesday, Afenifere insisted that from records available to it, the winner of the presidential election is the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, and not the APC's candidate, Bola Tinubu.
Peter Obi and Bola Tinubu.
The communique, signed by its National Leader and Secretary-General, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, and Chief Sola Ebiseni, reiterated the group's original position that Nigeria's next president should come specifically from the Southeast region of the country for the sake of "equity, fairness, national cohesion, and peaceful corporate existence."
According to Afenifere, “The results of the lawful votes at the election available to the Afenifere through credible sources confirm that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, won the said election and we, thus, support his decision challenging the contrary declaration by the INEC.
“The General Meeting, hereby, denounces in strong terms and dissociates Afenifere from any congratulatory message in the name of the organization or whosoever to any candidate as illegally declared by the INEC.
“Afenifere reiterates that for equity, fairness, national cohesion, and peaceful corporate existence, the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a person of its southern part and specifically the South-East.
The group also expressed its support for the LP governorship candidate for Lagos state and urged residents of the state to
vote for him, while assuring them of adequate protection during the election.
“We call on Nigerians to troop out en masse and participate fully in the gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections slated for the 11 March 2023."
“That by the hallowed Yoruba culture of civilized conduct, Afenifere assures all person resident in Yorubaland, indigenes, and non-indigenes, of protection in the conduct of their lawful duties and particularly the free exercise of their rights to vote for candidates of their choice in all elections and thus warn all threats mongers and merchants of violence to desist therefrom.”
“That, with particular reference to Lagos State, Afenifere confirms that the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour is a person of Yoruba origin, whose great-grandparents are not only Yoruba but one of the notable founding families of Lagos.
“We unequivocally endorse and urge the people of Lagos to vote for him.”
Afenifere lamented INEC's failure to comply with its guidelines during the presidential election, resulting in
irregularities which, according to the group included: the “destruction of ballot papers, snatching of ballot boxes, doctoring of figures and swapping of votes of candidates at the collation centers through the amended and outlawed manual procedures which rendered the 25th February 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections flawed in several respects as confirmed by local and international observers.”
While urging the INEC to comply with the relevant laws in conducting the governorship and state Assembly elections scheduled for March 11, 2023, Afenifere called on President Muhammadu Buhari and all security agents to guarantee the safety of citizens and ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections in Nigeria.
Politics and Opinion.
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