Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-cultural group has come under the attack of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF). He stirred the honets’ nest when he said “Nigeria would not survive if Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) does not win the presidential election.”
The arrow head of the criticism against Adebanjo Adebanjo was Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, NEF’s director of publicity and advocacy. NEF described Adebanjo’s comments as “irresponsible and condemnable”.
According to the Forum: “In his usual rantings, this time in campaigning for Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, he said, among other inflammatory outbursts, that if Nigerians do not elect his candidate, it will be the end of Nigeria. This statement is, to say the least, irresponsible and condemnable,” the statement reads.
“It is the worst thing that can be said in promoting a candidate, but that is the business of the candidate. We do not believe that Chief Adebanjo’s reckless outburst reflects the quality or essence of the Obi/Datti ticket.”
“Nigerians will not be scared from exercising their choices freely,” he said.
“The unity and survival of Nigeria are not dependent on politicians who think they can intimidate citizens, or instigating actions that will subvert a credible election and a peaceful transition to the next administration.
“If there are Nigerians with any influence over Chief Adebanjo, they should advise him to show respect for his age and all the advantages he enjoys from being a Nigerian.”
Adebanjo started the trouble on Thursday after a meeting of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) in Abuja.
He said: “The battle is on. We are in a war and our opponents are not sleeping at all. They’ve underrated us in the past but they are now seeing the stuff we are made of now.”
“They are making all sorts of devices to ensure that power remains in a particular part of the country. That’s why they are not even supporting the candidate of their own party.
“You are fighting for your freedom. Don’t joke with your freedom. Don’t be deceived. They are not going to organise any election. We are fighting to get out of slavery and bondage.
“We all living in denial, even among the Igbo. The impunity is too much and you don’t want those who are dissatisfied to leave the country.
“Obi’s phenomenon is not just about Labour Party. LP is now like NADECO. Obi is leading the crusade to get us out of the bondage of serious oppression.
“They don’t want to leave office. I’m saying it openly here. It is not a joke that they want to scuttle the election. You must be prepared for post-election.
“We will give it what it takes. It is either bend or break. If Obi does not win, forget a country called Nigeria. If we lose this election, there will be no opportunity for a non-Christian, a non-northerner to be president again.
“Right now they are planning to vote for Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, by jettisoning their candidate in the Labour Party.
“They want another northerner to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. How they want to do it, I don’t know, but we must all be prepared for a war.
“Have it at the back of your mind that Obi must be declared president. Anything contrary to this, we should forget about Nigeria.”