Afenifere Faults Supreme Court Ruling On Presidential Poll

• Laments waste of taxpayers’ money, electoral reforms

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has faulted the Supreme Court for affirming the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25, 2023, election.

The body said by the apex Court’s verdict, the electoral reforms achieved through Nigerians’ agitations and the billions of taxpayers’ money spent by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conducting the 2023 elections have been wasted.

In its first official comments after the October 26 unanimous decision by the Court’s seven-member panel dismissing the petitions of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP)’s Peter Obi challenging Tinubu’s victory, the group said in a statement thus; “Afenifere viewed with dismay, the recent judgment of the Supreme Court which ratified the brigandage with respect to particularly the Presidential Election.

“Unfortunately, by the Supreme Court decision, the electoral reforms achieved through the agitations of Nigerians for quality control through technological devices and the billions of Naira spent on the infrastructures in that regard is now wasted.”

The body offered its thoughts on political developments in the country in a communique issued at the end of a meeting that took place at the residence of its leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo in Ogbo Ijebu, Ogun State.

Signed by its Secretary-General, Chief Sola Ebiseni, the communique pointedly faulted the purchase of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) worth N160 million for lawmakers in the national assembly, saying; “Afenifere refuses to appreciate the calls for more sacrifices from Nigerians by the government which members continue to maintain obscene and ostentatious lifestyles.

“It is most preposterous that members of the National Assembly are approving for themselves vehicles worth N160 Million Naira because of the deplorable state of the Nigerian roads as if the responsibility to fix the said roads rests with the tax players.

“The Executive is unable to convince the people of the need for a yacht worth billions of Naira beyond ostentatious living. The costs of fuel rise prohibitively and the exchange of Naira climbs astronomically without any verifiable economic policy.”

Going forward, the Communique said; “Afenifere remains committed to the ideals and principles of True Federalism. We are proud of our decision and efforts on the 2023 Presidential Election and remain convinced that it was the right step towards a united, secured, and prosperous Nigeria and its continued corporate existence.”