‘A southern Christian may never become Nigeria’s president again if Obi loses’ —Pa Adebanjo

The leader of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, has predicted that if the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi loses the 2023 election, a southern Christian may never become Nigeria’s president in the nearest future.

Adebanjo who dropped this bombshell on Thursday after a meeting of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) in Abuja, urged Nigerians to vote enmasse for Obi because according to him, electing the LP candidate will “show that Nigeria values ethnic and religious inclusion.”

The Afenifere leader who was part of the leaders of the SMBLF that announced its endorsement of Obi at the meeting, said “Obi’s phenomenon is not just about Labour Party because the LP can now be likened to NADECO.”

The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) was a pro-democracy coalition formed in 1994 by Nigerian democrats and fought the military government of Gen. Sani Abacha, demanding that he stepped down in favor of the winner of the 12 June 1993 election, late MKO Abiola.

While speaking to journalists after the meeting, Adebanjo said:

“Obi’s phenomenon is not just about Labour Party. LP is now like NADECO. Obi is leading the crusade to get us out of the bondage of serious oppression.

“If Obi does not win, forget a country called Nigeria. If we lose this election, there will be no opportunity for a southerner, a non-Christian, a non-northerner, to be president again.

READ ALSO:2023: Afenifere leader, Adebanjo, lauds Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi, insists on power shift to S’East

“They don’t want to leave office. I’m saying it openly here. It is not a joke that they want to scuttle the election. You must be prepared for post-election.

“We will give it what it takes. It is either bend or break.

“Right now, they are planning to vote for Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, by jettisoning their candidate in the Labour Party.

“They want another northerner to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. How they want to do it, I don’t know, but we must all be prepared for a war.

“Have it at the back of your mind that Obi must be declared president. Anything contrary to this, we should forget about Nigeria.

“The battle is on. We are in a war and our opponents are not sleeping at all. They’ve underrated us in the past but they are now seeing the stuff we are made of now.

“They are making all sorts of devices to ensure that power remains in a particular part of the country. That’s why they are not even supporting the candidate of their own party,” he said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now