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By Lukman Olabiyi
The former Secretary of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) Mr Ayo Opadokun and others have advised Yoruba speaking extraction across the country to scrutinize credential and agenda of whoever seeks for your vote for the forthcoming election.
The elderstateman and others gave the advice while speaking at a conference organised by Alliance of Yoruba Democratic Movements, (AYDF), with the theme:’ 2023 election and the future of Yoruba’, held in Lagos.
Opadokun and the Chairman of AYDF, Adewale Adeoye specifically, pleaded with the people of the South West and Yoruba in other states of the federation to mobilise themselves and vote en mass in the 2023 general elections to prove their numerical strength to attract political and economic development to the region.
The NADECO chieftain in his speech eulogied the late premier of western region, Chief Obafemi Awolow for his leadership sagacity and contribution to the development of Yoruba race.
He stated that any aspirant that seek the vote of the race in 2023 should be asked if he or she support the Yoruba agenda before they give them their vote.
Opadokun maintained that neglect of federalism system of government was responsible for the retrogression of the country,adding that progress and development were recorded in the first republic because the government was run on the tenets of federalism.
He urged the electorate to ensure they vote aspirants that believe in the restructuring of the country, because the way the country is structured now is warped and there is the need to make it better.
Adeoye in his opening remark, called on voters from Yoruba speaking states to mobilise and show their numerical strength.
“We want our people to show their determination to use their votes to determine their future.We want our people to use their votes to raise political consciousness.We want the areas formerly known as Western region to overwhelm the rest of the country through massive participation in any electoral process,so that we can assert ourselves as one indivisibile people.” He said.
The group, Alliance of Yoruba Democratic, which is coalition of 111 pan Yoruba & civil society organisations stated that the country is facing one of the most difficult moments since 1960 and it is facing a lot of threats.
“We face internal, external and international threats to our livelihood. We are afflicted by poverty, lack of jobs, deprivations, exclusion and worst still, degradation of our environment, our stream, our mountains, our valleys, our forests and our livelihood; externally. We are at the mercy of marauders, terrorists, kidnappers, villainous spirit gengsters that have surrounded some of our towns and villages, in the West, East, North, and the South, including our sea shores.
He maintained that those forces are not only for domination but are bent on exterminating the race and take over our ancestral home
Adeoye said the future of Yoruba people to a large extent depends solely on what the people want.
He said in the past year voters apathy dominates South West political culture due to largely disconnect between the Yoruba ruling elites and ordinary folks.
Adeoye decried the low voters turnout during election, and there is need for a none state actor intervention to create an electoral paradigms shifts.
In the remark of the Secretary of the group, Popoola Ajayi he appealled to youths to be more engaging in politics.
“There must be a synergy, agenda that will cut across, the leader who will lead us to a path to develop agriculture, economic development, governance band institution and Constitution amendment,” he said.
Ajayi called for unity among the yoruba race that cut across the ethnicity diversity for the common benefit of all to be at the forefront of political recognition.
Contributing, the representative of Kogi and Kwara Ststes who is the National Secretary of Afenifere Renewal group, Ayo Abere-Oran urged the public to go and register and collect their PVC as a key to change the narratives.
He express displeasure over insecurity in the country while commending the Yoruba security operatives such as Amotekun, OPC, Agbekoyas and others group to complement the military and the police to provide security for the region.
