Afenifere Reacts To Tinubu’s Tribunal Victory, Sends Message To Petitioners

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, has reacted to the validation of President Bola Tinubu’s victory by the Presidential Electoral Petition Court (PEPC) on Wednesday.

The group, in a statement to congratulate President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the judgement, which further validated the electoral victory of February 25th, should be an indication of growing democracy in the country.

The leader of Afenifere Worldwide, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, in the statement issued by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, said it now lies on the new government to actualise various promises contained in the Renewed Hope manifesto presented to Nigerians in 2022 and 2023, and also to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on the citizens so that ”Nigeria can begin to enjoy life more abundant and good welfare that they deserve.”

Fasoranti said, “As I indicated in my congratulatory message when you, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was declared winner of this year’s presidential election, your victory raises a lot of hope, and you cannot afford to fail Nigerians.

“Incidentally, your manifesto on how to reset Nigeria resonates with my vision for having a Nigeria of which we all would be proud – as I mentioned to you on the two occasions you visited me last year in Akure. Going by the steps you have taken so far, I believe that you are setting the country on a sound footing for progress.”

The Afenifere leader also called on politicians to pick lessons from the verdict that would better enhance and guide their future electoral activities.

He told petitioners the choice of going to court was part of the process of deepening democracy in Nigeria, but also admonished them to brace up “so that Nigerians would quickly put the present hardship behind them and begin to experience improved standards in their welfare while the country itself begins a fast-paced journey towards becoming a developed nation. Restructuring and proper federalization of the country should form important aspects of the rejigging to be effected.”

“For instance, the petitions gave the judiciary the opportunity to make far-reaching pronouncements on some important aspects of our electoral law and aspects of the Constitution that deal with election matters. The pronouncements by the eminent judges shed more light and enlighten us more on how to go about our electoral processes,” he stated.