Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, on Monday night disagreed with the endorsement of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu by Pa Fasoranti and some Yoruba leaders in Akure on Sunday.
Adebanjo said that the prominent Yoruba socio-cultural group had already endorsed Peter Obi which has not changed.
Adebanjo made the comment while featuring on Channels television programme Politics Today on Monday night.
He said that the South West cannot produce the next President because the region has had its fair share of power rotation in the country.
Adebanjo recalled that after the June 12, 1993 crisis the country returned the Presidency to the South West when Obasanjo was elected President and he ruled for eight years.
The elder statesman argued that it would not be right for the South West to lay claim political power after ruling the country for eight year from 1999 to 2007.
He said that both the South West and the South South had had their share of the Presidency leaving only the South East which has not produced a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction.
He wondered whether the people of the South East who have not produced a Nigerian President are not Nigerians anymore.
He said, “I have given you reasons why the South West cannot be President. The South West has had its own fair share of rotation and of equity.
“And the South South has had its own. And the South East is the only zone that has not had it. That is the question. I don’t want to talk about whether they go there or not. These are the issues. They should say no, if the South West has not had it. Obasanjo had just been there.
We are fighting for rotation to avoid any section of the country from monopolizing the Presidency.
“When Abiola left, when they were to pacify us, they brought in OBJ ( President Olusegun Obasanjo), and after OBJ, Yar’Adua came in, Yar’Adua, Jonathan came in, after Jonathan Buhari came in. Buhari is now doing eight years.
“Now coming back to the South, should it go to the South West where we have already had our share? Or we go to South South which has had its share. Is the South East not part of the South? That is the question. If we are a party of ideological standing, that is where to stand from.”
Adebanjo explained further that he was supporting Peter Obi because the decision was to support a candidate from the South East.
He said that the same reason he gave for opposing any candidate from the South West was the same reason disqualifying the Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.
“I was going to support only anybody from the South East. And from the South East, we chose Peter Obi…
“This is the same basis that disqualifies Atiku. How can a Northerner rule for eight years there and another northerner comes back there. Will the northerners go back there for 30 years.
“Don’t allow them to bring you into this mess. That is what I told Pa Fasoranti. They are not just coming to greet you; they are coming to ask for your Blessings. Try to avoid it.
“The man has handed over; after handing over, saying he is tired, is he still active? When you go on leave and say somebody should be taking your position, will you be taking instruction from him?
“The man handed over to me; and he has never done anything to disrupts the meetings. Those seeking relevance, when last did they attend meetings even when Fasoranti was there.” He added
