Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, has reacted to Afenifere’s decision to support Peter Obi’s presidential bid during the 2023 general election.
Leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, had said that Afenifere’s decision to back the Labour Party candidate is rooted in the principle of federal character and equity.
“The south-west has produced a president and currently sits as VP; the south-south has spent a total of 6 years in the Presidency, but the Igbo people of the south-east have never tasted presidency in Nigeria, and now that the power is due back in the South, equity demands that it be ceded to the Igbo,” Adebanjo said in a statement on Monday, September 26.
Reacting to Adesayan’s comment, Keyamo noted that candidates that enjoyed Afenifere’s support during elections lost at the polls.
“Propelled by a long-held animosity against Tinubu, in 2015, the Pa Ayo Adebanjo Afenifere endorsed Jonathan for President. In 2019, they endorsed Atiku. In both cases, they failed. Congrats, Peter Obi on this endorsement,” Keyamo said via his verified Twitter handle on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has described “fake news” reports in some sections of the media alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari had relieved Keyamo of his responsibility as the Minister of State for Labour and Employment.