The apex Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has faulted the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) judgment that affirmed President Bola Tinubu as duly elected president in the February 25, presidential election.
The group, however, declared their support for the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.
SaharaReporters had reported on September 6, 2023, that the PEPC dismissed both Obi and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party petitions challenging the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the poll.
Obi had since faulted the judgement and had filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Court.
Despite the judgement, the apex Yoruba body has maintained its support for the labour party presidential candidate.
Picking holes in the judgement of the PEPC in a communique issued on Tuesday after a meeting at Chief Ayo Adebanjo’s Ogun residence, Afenifere said that Nigeria’s political structure is 37 state federation as the Court of Appeal erroneously pronounced.
The communique partly read: “Afenifere remains convinced and undeterred on the just principles with which we agreed to support Mr. Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
“In line with our disagreement with the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the 2023 elections, we support a further appeal to the Supreme Court in the interest of the nation.
“Pronouncements that the INEC is at liberty to return to the manual collation of election results and all the primitive electoral brigandage associated,” is not acceptable.
“Neither is it true with our political structure that Nigeria is now a 37-state federation as the Court of Appeal erroneously pronounced.”
Afenifere, however, vowed that “no person or group of persons shall hold the reins of power except in the proven interest of a fair, equitable, inclusive and thus united Nigeria in their peaceful, prosperous and harmonious diversity.”
On the excruciating economic crunch facing Nigerian masses, the apex Yoruba group called on President Tinubu-led Federal Government to listen and implement the demands of the Labour Unions to avoid strikes that would further crash the economy beyond repair.
SaharaReporters had reported that the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress declared October 4, 2023, for an indefinite nationwide strike, accusing the federal government of failing to reach an agreement on the best way to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and attendant in the country on Nigerians.
However, Afenifere urged the federal government to avert the strike by implementing their demands.
“Government is called upon to look into the plight of Nigerians and listen to the NLC to avert the looming strikes in the interests of the already prostrate economy.
“Government needs to open up to Nigerians and those in power come down from their ostentatious lifestyles.
“From the humongous number of 50 Ministers with an intractable number of aides, it is unacceptable that the people are being called upon to make further sacrifices,” the communique partly read.
