2027: Afenifere backs Southern rotational Presidency

By Dapo Akinrefon

The pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Thursday, restated its commitment to rotational presidency.

Afenifere, in a communique by its leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and National Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye, said it will support any southern candidate that is eligible and worthy of the support of the Nigerian people in 2027.

The Yoruba body said it will also throw its weight behind a candidate that will churn out policies to address economic and political challenges in the polity.

The communique reads: “Even as Afenifere is not enamoured by the prebendary governance outcome of the Tinubu presidency, we hold as inviolable the practice of the rotation of the tenure of the presidency between the North and the South anchored on the fervent desire for equity and stability of the Nigerian nation. Afenifere reaffirms this patriotic position in any consideration for a candidate to be eligible and worthy of the support of the Nigerian people in 2027.

“In this connection, the need to identify a mass movement supporting and anchoring a progressive vehicle able to churn out policies to enable us address economic and political challenges in the polity and also able to adhere to the spirit of rotation of power, with a Southern candidate vying to emerge as Presidential candidate will be where we stand.

“That individual will simply be the tool of the mass movement greater than any political party. The person emerging must be able to carry the mantle of leadership to immediately enable devolution of power to the States, review the economic policy in the direction of the alleviation of poverty and the ushering in of a fairer society must be the immediate objective.

“Devolution of powers, including devolution of the security architecture, will assist in addressing the challenges of insecurity in the land, with the federating units being able to confront headlong issues of insecurity as a first line of defence with the federal entity being complimentary and supportive when necessary and when the States are overwhelmed and subsequently invite Federal assistance.”