The
Yoruba Council of Elders has said that the appearance of its National
President, Brig- Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd), at a post-national
conference summit in Ibadan, Oyo State, should not be mistaken for an
endorsement of the candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan in the March
28 election.
YCE, also known as Igbimo Agba Yoruba, said this at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Ibadan.
The
summit, which was convened by the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun
Mimiko, was attended by some Yoruba leaders where they endorsed the
candidacy of President Jonathan.
The elders, however, explained,
through the Assistant National Secretary of YCE, Bayo Olateju, that
their leader attended the meeting because the theme was centred on
Yoruba and based on that, he had to be there.
The YCE maintained
that it had not shifted from its initial position that it would not
enmesh itself in the murky waters of politics by endorsing any of the
candidates.
On the rumoured intention of the Federal Government
to further postpone the election, YCE said the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, has reached a deadend’ constitutionally with
the dates fixed for the rescheduled 2015 general elections and any
further postponement could lead to constitutional crisis.
According
to the apex Yoruba socio-cultural organisation: The Electoral Law
prescribes the conduct of elections 60 days before the expiration of any
tenure, there cannot be further shift of the election without causing
constitutional crisis and with the assurances by President Jonathan that
the handover date of May 29 was sacrosanct, there is nothing to fear.
“As
the fathers and mothers of all in Yorubaland, we are above partisan
politics and it is our advice to our sons and daughters to vote for any
candidate of their choice.”
Though, the elders commended INEC
for the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, they warned
politicians against causing violence.
Credit: Ola Ajayi/Vanguard
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