A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday paid a visit to
the leaders of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere,
at the residence of the leader of the group, Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure,
the Ondo State Capital.
During the visit, which lasted for about
30 minutes, Obasanjo sought the cooperation of the group to save
Nigeria from collapse under Buhari.
He
commended the Afenifere for being in the forefront of the fight for the
interest of the Yoruba nation, while he worked towards the interest of
the country as a whole, noting that the two parties worked towards the
same goals of fostering unity among the people of the country but at
different levels.
The former President recalled how he had
visited the leadership of the group some 20 years ago, seeking the
group’s support for his election but said he was rejected by the group.
“I
remember visiting Pa Abraham Adesanya thrice in Lagos before the 1999
election and I was asked to join Afenifere and the Alliance for
Democracy then, but I told them that AD was cul-de-sac.
“Pa
Abraham told me 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 Yoruba land, though they supported me in 2003 for my
re-election,” adding, “Our priority is now one, if we do not join hands
to repair this country now, it will collapse and this can be
disastrous.”
The Afenifere leader, Fasoranti, in his response,
described the visit of the former President as historic and the first in
about 20 years, stressing that the Yoruba group was in support of the
ex-President’s moves to achieve a peaceful and virile Nigeria.
He
commended Obasanjo for his struggle to make Nigeria a better place and
assured him of the support of Afenifere to join hands with him in the
struggle.
Fasoranti said, “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.
“We have been watching you and your
dreams of a better Nigeria shall be realised. Nigerians are at the
crossroads, we are tired of the killings, kidnapping going on across
the country and the President is mute and silence 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.”
The Punch reports that the Afenifere leader declared
that the group was in total support of the coalition of political
parties to forge an alliance against President Buhari in the next
general election.
“It will be the joy of everybody to present a formidable team to confront the evil government that is there now,” Fasoranti stated.
