Ebun Francis |
Elder statesman and Nigeria’s two-time leader, Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday met with Afenifere leaders and agreed to join hands together with them and present a “united force” that will “rescue” Nigeria from its current state ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
Obasanjo met with the leaders of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, at the residence of the leader of the group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti in Akure, Ondo State.
At the meeting, Obasanjo commended the Afenifere for being at the forefront of fighting for the interest of the Yoruba nation while he was working towards the interest of the country as a whole and recalled how the group rejected his overtures some 20 years ago when he asked for their support during his presidential campaign.
Obasanjo said, “I remember visiting Pa Abraham Adesanya thrice in Lagos before the 1999 election and I was asked to join Afenifere and Alliance for Democracy then, but I told them that AD was a cul-de-sac.
“Pa Abraham told me that if I joined, things would change; but I refused to join them. I went back the second time, but they refused to work for my emergence.
“I went there again the third time, but Afenifere maintained their stand. They refused to vote for me; but I secured my votes outside Yorubaland, though they supported me in 2003 for my re-election.
“Our priority is now one. If we do not join hands to repair this country now, it will collapse and this could be disastrous.”
Pa Fasoranti, in his response, said that Obasanjo’s visit was historic and first in about 20 years, stating that Afenifere will support his efforts to achieve peaceful and virile Nigeria.
“We want to encourage you in your struggle to make Nigeria the best. You are fearless and that is one of the traits of a good leader”, Fasanroti said.
“We have been watching you, and your dreams of a better Nigeria shall be realised.
“Nigerians are at a crossroads; we are tired of the killings, kidnapping going on across the country and the President is mute about it.
“We are in full support of all the letters written by Obasanjo to President Muhammadu Buhari on the state of the nation. We are dissatisfied with the state of affairs in the country. The country is not being run properly.
“Nothing is being done properly in this country presently. Look at the killings in the North. The President is very silent about it.
“We are all Nigerians. If he can keep silence about the killing of his people, that is bad enough.”
“It will be the joy of everybody to present a formidable team to confront the evil government that is there now,” Fasoranti stated.