LEADING GROUPS CALL ON YORUBA TO VOTE MASSIVELY FOR BUHARI-OSINBAJO

PRESS STATEMENT
February 21, 2019
Leading Pan Yoruba groups have called on Yoruba people in Nigeria and abroad to rally support for President Mohammadu Buhari and his Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
The groups issued a statement after an extensive meeting in Lagos.
Led by Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC), Oodua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC), Agbekoya, Association of South West Okada Riders, Yoruba Hunters Assembly, Coalition of Oodua Self Determination groups and 45 others, the groups said it is in the strategic interest of the Yoruba people to support Osinbajo and ensure his victory at the poll on Saturday. COSEG leader, Mr. Dayo Ogunlana, President General of Agbekoya, Aare Oshodi, Mr Wale Balogun of Yoruba Revolutionary Movement, (YOREM), Mr Femi Agbana of ONAC and many others signed the statement.

The groups stated “The election was postponed. Please do not give up. Let us come out and vote in large numbers on February 23. If the turnout is low in Yorubaland, it will affect our strength and power to negotiate. It will reduce our influence in Nigeria. Be part of the people that will vote. MAKE THE SACRIFICE.

“The forthcoming 2019 election is set to be a straight fight between APC and PDP - no doubt?
There is no doubt that things are hard, but do not forget the decline in oil revenue almost by half in 2015 and the earlier 16 years of total waste under PDP. Nigeria would have collapsed if PDP had continued. That is the truth.

“With a *Buhari/Osinbajo* (APC) ticket in one party and an *Atiku/Obi* (PDP) ticket on the other,We ask, what should be the choice of the Yoruba people?

“Whether it is an Atiku or a Buhari Presidency will be in the North. What will Yoruba benefit?
Today we have Chief of Defense Staff, Chairman of Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), Minister for Works, Power and Housing (3 in 1), We held Finance until Mrs. Kemi Adeosun voluntarily resigned. Many more will come with the victory of the APC.

The groups added further “The issue is not about political parties, but about what is the most strategic thing to do. We plead with Yorubas sons and daughters to massively vote for Professor ‘Yemi OSINBAJO, the best Vice President we have ever had. He is our son we should be proud of him. One of our best minds is Prof Osinbajo. He issound with impeccable integrity. Time to drop any emotional attachment to PDP is now. Vote for your son Yemi Osinbajo. We are glad to see the Ohanaeze General Secretary, the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos and other Igbo leaders endorsing Prof Osinbajo. This is a very good development. This will promote solidarity between Yoruba and Igbo. We shall also support them when it is their turn”

It urged the Yoruba to consider the following issues

• For the first time in 40 years, Lagos-Ibadan railway will be completed in May this year. It will take 50 minutes to get to Ibadan from Lagos.
• The Abeokuta-Lagos Railway is ready and has been tested.
• The railway for the first time will be passing through Ekiti, Ondo and some hinterland in Oyo, Kwara, Ogun and Osun States.
• The Lagos-Ibadan Express Way abandoned for several years will be completed this year.
• Trader money is helping millions of people in the South West.
• The Oyo-Ogbomosho-Ilorin Highway will be completed this year.
• The Muritala Mohammed Airport Highway has been given to Lagos State, so is the Marina House, the first time in about 35 years.
• There will be a total stop to the fight against corruption. Nigeria will go back to 1983.

Think of this
• If PDP wins, Yoruba will only be SSG, just to serve tea.
• General Obansanjo and people like Buruji Kashamu, Chief Bode George and Ayodele Fayose will be the new leaders of Yoruba people.
• Atiku will rule for 8 years. After that Obi will rule for 8 years. After that power returns to the North for another 8 years. It means it won’t be the turn of the Yoruba for the next 24 years. What a shame.
• Atiku says it will restructure, but there is no RESTRUCTURING in PDP manifesto. Atiku is not a man of his words.
• APC has restructuring in its manifesto. It has taken time, but they will do it. There is already the State Police Bill with the National Assembly sponsored by APC legislator, Gbajabiamila. No PDP lawmaker had ever sponsored any bill promoting RESTRUCTURING.
• Under PDP for 16 years, Yoruba was in the cooler. Bola Ige was killed. Gani Adams and Fredrick Faseun were detained for more than two years.
• Over 500 OPC and members of other Pan Yoruba groups were killed.

This is what we got as compensation in yorubaland after 4 years of APC