I am hopeful, Nigeria can get out of the woods, 95year-old Adebanjo

Pa Ayo Adebanjo: What I have against Tinubu

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has reinstated that his clamour for Nigerians to produce a viable president in the forthcoming election is to for him but for the younger ones and posterity.

 

Adebanjo, who clocks 95 years in April, added that if Nigerians voted wrongly on February 25 and allow an inefficient president to emerge, he would be enjoying himself in the grave when the consequences would come.

 

Speaking in an interview with TheNiche, Adebanjo explained again why he would not support Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.

 

When asked if he believed Nigeria could still get out of the woods, Adebanjo replied, “Yes, if we get the forthcoming elections right. I am hopeful but only if Peter Obi wins the February 25 presidential election. Unless Peter Obi wins the election, and I am mentioning Peter Obi because all other candidates are not qualified. Are you listening?

 

“Any other thing to the contrary, there will be problems. I have said it before and I am repeating it without any element of doubt in my mind. If for any reason, the election is scuttled or manipulated, and Obi doesn’t win, I say emphatically, that is the end of Nigeria.

 

“Take for instance Bola Tinubu from my own region, on the basis of the agreement for peace and equity, the Yoruba people had their share when Olusegun Obasanjo became the president. I am skipping all that led to the Obasanjo presidency because I know you are pressed for time. And after Obasanjo, the power went back to the North and we had Umaru Yar’Adua. After Yar’Adua, it came back to the South, and we have Goodluck Jonathan and after Jonathan, it went back to the North and now we have Muhammadu Buhari about to complete his second term of eight years.

 

“And after Buhari, power is coming back to the South. How do the Yoruba come in again when they have had their turn? Or is it the South-South? The only region that has not had its turn is the Southeast. And for Atiku Abubakar, how can a Northerner leave Aso Rock and another Northerner moves in? Northerners have had their own share under Yar’Adua and Buhari. So, the Atiku presidency will be the third time for the North. And no chance for the Southeast? Is that equity?”

 

Speaking further, Pa Adebanjo advised Nigerians, saying, “They should open their eyes; shine your eyes. If you allow anybody to buy your votes, you are in a dungeon. Well, if it doesn’t happen, when the result will come, I will be enjoying myself in the grave. I am only saying it for those who are coming behind.

 

“You may not have heard this, I told my colleagues that I prayed to God before to take the issue of the president of Nigeria out of my mind. Why should I be bothering myself with this mess when I lived in this country before now when my children were in the university in the 1950s, 60s and even 70s and I told them if you make a First Class, I will buy you a car? How many families can say that now when they cannot even buy a bicycle? That is why you cannot have the passion that I have. The whole thing has degenerated completely.”

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