AFENIFERE cautions Yoruba political bigwigs ahead of 2023 presidential election

The Yoruba prominent leaders in the Afenifere Renewal Group(ARG) have said that individual interests of Chief Bisi Akande, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other Yoruba leaders could frustrate the South West presidential bid and there is an urgent need to form a unity front.

The Afenifere Renewal Group said they are ready to ensure that the Yoruba nation takes over the country’s highest political position, from the North, come 2023. The group is however calling on all divisions in the group to settle their issues before presenting an indigene for presidency come 2023.

This is according to Prince Micheal Ogungbemi, ARG Publicity Secretary who spoke to vanguard. He stated that “ARG has met and we have concluded that the Yoruba nation is ready to lead Nigeria. We have a blueprint that we can present to any presidential candidate that can bring better democratic governance to all Nigerians.

The southwest is ready to take over. We have human and material resources. The political leaders must go on consultations. We have six geo-political zones and southwest is just a block.

They must move for a united family to clamour for the presidency for the southwest and produce a unified front. If they can speak with one voice, we will clinch this ticket, because it is our turn.”

The ARG called on APC party pioneer chairman Chief Bisi Akande, national leader of APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and hairman Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi to settle their rift in order for the southwest zone to clinch power in 2023.

Prince Micheal Ogungbemi further stated that “We can’t go into that race with a divided house. Tinubu, Fayemi, Akande, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Prof Banji Akintoye, Senator Femi Okurounmu, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) and others must convey a meeting of the progressive politicians in the zone so that we can be united. If we have a candidate that is acceptable to both the North and the South, we will surely win.

“But Yoruba nation will blame Tinubu, Fayemi and Akande if the southwest fails to clinch the ticket. Nigeria needs to be restructured, but what we need is classical restructuring, it might not be holistic for now. With restructuring, governance in the state will be healthier and more benefiting; the running of the states will be healthier.

“Governance under the presidential system is very powerful and costly, but with power residing in the states and local governments, things will be better. We must have a roundtable referendum to achieve this. It is not to satisfy certain groups, it will bring geometric progressive order because we have not been moving at the right pace”.