2015 Election: Yoruba elders split over Jonathan And Buhari

The South-West geo-political zone was split, yesterday, as Yoruba leaders and elders were sharply divided over who to vote for in the March 28 presidential polls between President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Divided into two groups, the leaders held parallel summits in Ibadan and Lagos and took divergent positions on what the Yoruba should do in the coming elections with reasons. While those at the Ibadan gathering were mostly for Buhari, the Lagos crowd rooted for Jonathan.

Those at the event included Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana; General Alani Akinrinade (retd), Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

In Lagos for President Jonathan were Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Dr Frederick Fasehun, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Chief Olabode George among others.

Olubadan directs subjects to vote for Buhari

In Ibadan, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, took thousands of people at the Parliament Building in Ibadan by surprise when he openly directed all his subjects to vote for Buhari on March 28.

The 101-year-old monarch spoke at a pan-Yoruba summit convened by General Alani Akinrinade (retd) at the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Ibadan.

The Olubadan, represented by the Ekerin Olubadan, High Chief Eddy Oyewole, did not mince words as he called on all sons and daughters of the zone to cast their votes for the retired general.

The monarch was one of the three paramount rulers who President Goodluck Jonathan visited some weeks ago to seek their support for his second term ambition.

Though, Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi was not physically present at the summit, he sent his representatives. He was represented by Chief Samuel Otolorin and several others.

The summit which had a semblance of the earlier one convened by Governor Olusegun Mimiko about a month ago had so many people including the Itsekiri from Delta State led by Chief Sunday Rone, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor and representations from all the South-West states in attendance.

Other participants at the summit included the APC Vice-Presidential candidate, Prof. Mr. Yemi Osinbajo; host Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, immediate past Governor of Ekiti State; Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Governor of Osun State; Prof. Nesi Omatseye from Itsekiri; Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Ganiyu Ologunebi; Oba John Bolarinwa, Onigboho of Igboho, Oba Samuel Adegbola, Eleruwa of Eruwa among others.

Why Yoruba need change –Akinrinade

The convener of the summit, Akinrinade said: “As a people, we have been assaulted, buffered by the vagaries of strange cultures and traditions. Our penchant to accommodate strangers with open arms has led to the bastardisation and in some instances total replacement of our culture, norms and values. Today, things we never thought could happen in the Yoruba nation are now the things we glorify. We have turned our core values on its head. We now have able-bodied Yoruba men and women begging on the streets or becoming ready tools for politicians to exploit as thugs”.

Rita Lori, who spoke on behalf of Itsekiris, said they were in support of the demands made by the summit and that the people in the zone should appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan to protect the Itsekiris from Ijaws who allegedly unleash violence on them.

Oyinlola, who spoke in parables, advised all people from the zone to be united and should not allow politics to divide them. Read full story here