The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) says it is not a party to the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid as misrepresented in different media reports.
In a press statement signed by its publicity secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, the group described the use of its insignia to promote the said endorsement as fraudulent and an attempt to deceive Yoruba people.
“It has come to our notice that some broadcast stations are using ARG’s name and logo to promote the said endorsement. This is fraudulent and we wish to advise media houses to be wary of such fraudulent promoters especially now that public interest must be defended by the media,” the statement said.
“The ARG is not a party to the endorsement and does not in fact think the performance of President Goodluck Jonathan since May 2010 is worth the endorsement of any patriotic citizen. We believe there is a difference between ‘transformation,’ which President Jonathan promised Nigerians in 2011 and mere ‘reform’ of the same governance culture that Nigerians have rejected.
“The ARG does not dictate to the generality of the Yoruba people, rather it gives voice to their feelings and aspirations. The extensive consultations we have made showed that Yoruba people have come to a firm conclusion that they have been at the shorter end of the stick under the Jonathan-led Government, under whose administration, nepotism and ethnocentrism have taken over as the emblem of our presidential politics,” the group stated.
It further stressed that it would remain committed to the aspirations of Yoruba people for change.
The Afenifere Renewal Group also echoed a statement in Abeokuta recently at a public lecture organised by the Ogun State chapter of ARG, that the change demanded was a public pledge to restructure the country in such a way that power would devolve to the most efficient federating unit.
