…cautions against military intervention in Niger
Afenifere, the Pan Yoruba socio-political group has described the appointment of 48 ministers into the Federal Executive Council by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as unnecessary and a waste of public funds on the political class.
Also, the mainstream Yoruba organisation advised the Federal Government to tread with caution in its intervention in the military coup in the neighbouring Niger Republic.
The group in the communique read by Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the leader of the group, and the Secretary, Chief Sola Ebiseeni after its monthly meeting condemned in strong terms that the military takeover in Niger but any armed conflict in Niger would have harmful effects on Nigeria.
Afenifere in the communique condemned it as “most unconscionable that a government pleading for understanding and sacrifices from the people, the aftermath of a sudden and harsh removal of petrol subsidy and other cowboy economic policies would present such unprecedented humongous list of 48 ministers and other such appointments for political appeasement in search of legitimacy.”
The group noted that it is most bizarre that the overwhelming majority of Nigerians whose daily preoccupation is how to eke a living and sometimes lay their heads wherever their tired limbs are bent are subjected to the spectacle of opulence and irresponsibility by their political leaders.
The communique read “That it is painful that Nigerians are saddled with a parliament that is powerless in the face of this executive rascality the likes that makes the hapless people see no difference and jump on the streets singing praises of unconstitutional power adventurers.
“That this interim period in the political life of the country has further abysmally exposed the pretences and hypocrisy of those who have often paid lip service to progressive inclinations as rapacious power mongers without a thought for the people.”
On the coup in Niger Republic, Afenifere reiterated the abhorrence to any undemocratic access to power either through the barrels of a gun or electoral brigandage.
The group said “We hold it as evidently true that military coup and any form of subversion of the constitution and the electoral process as a means of access to power are equal and mutually antithetical to democracy.
” Afenifere condemned unreservedly, the current military takeover of the Government of the Republic of Niger and declared that there is no justifiable reason for such an undemocratic act.
“That is the same manner in which the removal of oil subsidy was announced and currently plunged the nation into a myriad of socioeconomic problems, the cavalier and hasty decision by the ECOWAS to intervene in the internal affairs of Niger not excluding the possibility of the military option, has further submerged Nigeria in needless crises affecting the socio-economic fabric of the nation.
“That while Afenifere believes that Nigeria cannot afford to stand aloof on matters affecting the stability and peace of the West African sub-region, nay Africa, it owes overriding duty to the national interests of Nigeria and her citizens.
“That Nigeria and Niger are not only culturally interrelated but also socioeconomically interdependent.
“That Nigeria can ill-afford the price of war in Niger with costs in money, materials, and men and collateral damage to the ancient and sustained relationships between our countries.”
