Wale Elegbede 
We’re not anarchists, we’re not secessionists, we are democrats. We recognise there’s a democratically elected President in Aso Rock , says 93-year-old Adebanjo
Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, has given conditions for South West’s participation in the 2023 poll. Acting leader of the group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said yesterday at a press conference in Lagos that President Muhammadu Buhari should “urgently constitute a government of National Unity charged with the sole task of seeing to the restructuring of Nigeria in consultation with the Nigerian peoples” for Yoruba’s participation in the election.
Adebanjo lamented that despite the initial agreement to restructure Nigeria before Buhari was elected in 2015, the ex-military Head of State refused to heed the var-ious calls on him to restructure the country, as well as devolution of power, fiscal federalism and state police.
The 93-year-old said, “We are not anarchists; we are not secessionists; we are democrats. We recognise that there is a democratically elected President in Aso Rock. “We are not asking for Buhari’s resignation. Since the National Assembly has not seen fit to remove him, he remains the President of Nigeria until May 29, 2023. “But it is the considered position of Afenifere that he urgently constitutes a government of National Unity charged with the sole task of seeing to the restructuring of Nigeria in consultation with the Nigerian peoples.
“Let it be heard loud and clear, Afenifere shall be leading the Yoruba nation to demand substantial restructuring before any fraudulent election might be held in 2023. The response of the Buhari regime to these equitable demands for restructuring the country along federalist lines, in order to restore it to its roots and original agreements, shall go a long way in shaping the position of Yoruba people in the future. But let it be heard loud and clear: Nigeria is not only negotiable, it is evidently dying.
“General Yakubu Gowon, to keep Nigeria one, is it for Fulani to dominate other ethnic nationalities? “General Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s unity is non-negotiable, for Yoruba to be under Fulani domination? “Your Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto; General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Bishop Hassan Kukah, can we have peace without equity and justice?” According to Adebanjo, Afenifere’s position has not evolved, saying the group remains convinced the need for a Sovereign National Conference is imperative. He added, “The basis of Nigerian state must be clearly negotiated.” According to Adebanjo, the country, which was negotiated before Independence in 1960, was mortally wounded in 1966 and slaughtered in the military coup that followed in July 1966, among others.
