Afenifere, YCE fear election postponement may lead to anarchy

The Senior Elders Forum of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) Tuesday declared that postponing this year’s general elections could usher in chaos and anarchy into the country.

The forum in a statement in Ibadan by former National President of YCE, Col. Samuel Adeleye (rtd), asked both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the federal government to drop the idea of postponing the general elections.

The body stressed that it was glaring postponing this year’s general elections would only mean postponing the evil day and that somehow in the future, the country would  still have to be confronted with that problem.

Adeleye said: “INEC which had been saying it’s up to the task is already becoming jittery; everyone is wondering if we are going to be safe. We won’t blame INEC if it’s feeling insecure. The issues of agitation are mounting in every nook and crannies of this country.”

YCE added: “If INEC is up to the task, it should go ahead because if they cancel the election, it is just postponing the evil day. i

“Insecurity could likely go unabated. Postponing the election could lead us into chaos and anarchy. If they cancel the election, will President Buhari be there till May 29 next year? Will he still be in Aso Rock?”

The Senior Elders Forum lamented that presently more than 90 per cent of people in the South West were fed up with the “concoction called Nigeria”, saying  except for a negligible few who are eating mere “crumbs that fell from their masters’ table,” a greater percentage prefer to sit at a roundtable to renegotiate the amalgamation of Nigeria which has since expired.

“From our own intelligence report, more than 90 per cent of Yoruba people are already fed up with the present concoction called Nigeria. It is only those who are feeding on the crumbs that fell from their masters’ table that are still paying homage to their Northern leaders”.

On Ojota protest

Reacting to Monday protest at Ojota,  Lagos state, the body blamed the organisers of the protest for exposing the youths to danger while they sit back abroad and watch them on the television.

“We, the elders heard a report that the protest was organised by some people outside the country. This made us a bit unhappy because those people who organised it didn’t come to lead or supervise the protest so as to prevent it from being violent. We can’t allow our youths to be used as cannon folders.

“If we had an inkling that they were going to hold the protest, we would have said no, don’t do it because Nigeria is in a dangerous situation especially now when election is just about 45 days. At the moment, whoever organised that protest chose a wrong time. This is a highly volatile and sensitive period. People should do more of planning and thinking,” they said.

Afenifere

Similarly, Afenifere, the Pan Yoruba socio-political group also insisted the 2023 general elections must hold as planned.

Afenifere, in a statement Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, frowned at the threat issued by the INEC.

It said: “Every effort must be made to ensure that the general elections slated for February and March this year not only hold successfully, but that winners emerge and are sworn in on May 29, 2023 as stipulated by relevant laws.”

“But we feel that there is the need to let anyone thinking of postponement or cancellation of the elections that such a thing is and will remain unacceptable, no matter the reason.

“We recall that in 2015, there was insecurity too to the extent that some local government areas, specifically in Borno State, were in the hands of Boko Haram terrorists. Yet elections were held. There also was insecurity in 2019 and elections were not stopped,” the group said.

Ajayi further said: “We felt the need to sound this note of warning so that whoever may be thinking of postponing or alter the elections’ calendar should know that such a thing would not be accepted.

“In Nigeria, there is often the tendency to fly a kite. Most of the time, such kites are on policies or steps that were usually not in the best interest of the Nigerian public. This is why it is very important to clearly sound this note of warning without any ambiguity.

“This is why we are stating clearly that Nigerians are prepared for the elections just as the whole world is awaiting the elections. Nothing whatsoever should alter the schedule or cause is postponement let alone cancellation.”