Afenifere Leader, Dr. Reuben Fasoranti
| credits: File copy

We supported you in 2007, Afenifere tells Buhari

Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has reminded the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, that it supported him in 2007 when he was contesting for the presidency on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party.

The group, therefore, explained that although it supported President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, it would be wrong for anyone to assume that it supported Jonathan because of money.

In a communiqué issued in Akure on Wednesday after a meeting at the home of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, the group explained that it supported Jonathan because it believed that doing so was in the interest of all Yoruba.

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The group issued the communiqué in reaction to several allegations that its leaders received almost a billion naira from Jonathan weeks before the March 28 election.

The group, therefore, urged Buhari not to jettison the National Conference report as it was the only way to ensure change in Nigeria.

The communiqué read, “For the avoidance of doubt, the President-elect, General Buhari, would attest to our not being induced in supporting him in 2007. We were certainly not induced to support President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Our decision was based on our age-long commitment to support a presidential candidate committed to the restructuring of Nigeria.

“Afenifere supported Buhari in 2007 when he agreed with Afenifere that he would restructure Nigeria and President Jonathan in 2015 because of his support for the National Conference and devolution of power.

“We will continue to make representation to the President-elect to implement the 2014 conference resolutions, particularly with regards to restructuring and reduction of recurrent expenditure.”

While commending Jonathan for congratulating Buhari even before all the election results were announced, Afenifere described Jonathan as a true statesman.

Afenifere maintained that the Social Democratic Party would remain its party and called on its members to remain true to the tenets of the party.