By Akeem Abas
The Pan Yoruba Socio-political Organisation, (Afenifere) has urged the President elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, to live up to his words of building a brighter and more productive society as contained in his acceptance speech.
The group made the call in a congratulatory message signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Jare Ajayi and made available to newsmen on Friday in Ibadan.
It said that the potentials to have the country develop rapidly, welfare of people improved and social vices curbed to the barest minimum lies in the in-coming administration.
“The incoming administration must hit the ground running with sustainable welfarist programmes, ousting terrorism and banditry, and putting an end to nepotism with round pegs in round holes.
“The administration must bring down the hyper-inflation in the country, make sure fuels are available at very cheap prices and artificial bottlenecks in the financial sector resulting in cash crunch is removed.
“It must create atmosphere for all Nigerians to be able to realize their potentials wherever they are and without infringing on the rights of fellow Nigerians, especially natives of a given area as is happening in some parts of the country presently, ” it said.
The group recalled Tinubu affirming that he had the confidence, vision and capacity to do the job, and be a fair leader who will deliver a nation that we can be proud of.
“He should get the country restructured so that each region would be in a position to deploy the creative potentials it has to the maximum,” it said.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Afenifere had in the congratulatory message described the victory of Tinubu in the presidential election as one that should further unify the country
It stated that the spread of Tinubu’s votes across the country should unify the country.
“Garnering substantial votes from five of the six geo-political zones demonstrates that the mandate given to Tinubu and his vice, Sen. Kashim Shettima can re-invent Nigeria as a truly federal yet united country.
“A country in which every section and every citizen would have a sense of belonging without regard to any other consideration such as religion, language spoken or where the person comes from etc.
“Incidentally, the President-elect and his party, APC were reported to have set up committees to assuage co-contestant on their losses at the election and called co-contestants to let them work together,” he said.
It urged those who were not satisfied with the outcome of the election to seek established legal redress “to which they have every right.
The group urged all to allow peace reign while the legal process was explored and even thereafter.
It called on Nigerians to learn to be able to live together in a peaceful and harmonious society where justice, fairness, equity as well as respect for the rule of law reign supreme.
The group observed that Tinubu would be taking the mantle of leadership at a time the country was highly divided with mistrust at an all-high level.
“Thus, the president-elect should, immediately on being sworn-in on May 29, embark on policies that will heal the deep wounds in the country.
“Policies that will foster a sense of unity and love among Nigerians, and work to ensure that security of lives and properties is guaranteed, jobs are created for youths and education revamped.
The group challenged Tinubu to ensure his democratic background and affiliation with Afenifere reflect in the way he governs the country.
It said such would enable his promise to make peace, unity and prosperity the cornerstones of the society he intended to build come into fruition.
The group said that a lot was expected from the incoming Tinubu-led administration as it was when President Muhammadu Buhari came on board in 2015.
“It is hoped that Bola Tinubu government will not disappoint Nigerians. It will govern in a manner that will make citizens speak with pride at being a Nigerian as he promised in his acceptance speech.
“We are confident that Tinubu has the capacity to accomplish these as he promised.
“We are hopeful that he will be able to harness the requisite political and sundry other wills to give us a true federal Nigeria where people are truly in control of their affairs,” it said. (NAN)
