The leader of the pan‑Yoruba sociopolitical group Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo, urged the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate Bola Tinubu to withdraw his candidacy in favor of Labour Party contender Peter Obi. Speaking at the Labour Party’s presidential campaign rally in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, Adebanjo—accompanied by fellow Afenifere leader Senator Femi Okunronmu—warned Tinubu that the “northerners will not vote for him” and that he should “save himself from the shame of losing at the polls.” He predicted Tinubu would be disappointed by the northern electorate and advised him to return home and support Obi, promising forgiveness if he did so now.
Adebanjo described the Labour Party as the new bride of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which he said would rescue Nigerians from the APC’s misrule. “All those who know Tinubu should tell him I have always said—and will say again—that the northerners will not vote for him,” he declared. “If he comes back now, we will forgive him and take him back.” He added that supporters of Obi represent a progressive movement seeking good governance and liberation from the “captivity of the ruling class.” According to Adebanjo, “those fraudsters parading themselves as Yoruba do not love the country,” and he reminded listeners that a Yoruba has previously held the presidency.
Earlier, Peter Obi visited the Alake and the paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, at his palace. At a town‑hall meeting held within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Obi addressed youths and described Nigeria as a failed state and one of the world’s most insecure countries, “no longer in control of its territory.” He highlighted his record in Anambra State, noting that the state was rated number one in implementing the Millennium Development Goals, achieved progress in education and poverty reduction without external borrowing, and paid all outstanding pensions before he left office.
Obi called on presidential candidates to demonstrate their past achievements before aspiring to govern the nation. “We are determined for a new Nigeria,” he said, emphasizing the need for confident, qualified leaders. “This year’s election is essential; we can no longer tolerate incompetence. We need people who show commitment, physical and mental energy, and readiness for the job.” He and his running mate, Datti, pledged to change Nigeria, asserting that they are the only team capable of doing so and urging voters to entrust them with the country’s future.
Concluding his appeal, Obi appealed to the traditional ruler for blessings, acknowledging that royalty typically avoids politics but stressing that “when your subjects are dying and you do not intervene, they will eventually turn to you because there is no alternative. Please, save them.”
Comments are closed for this story.