Afenifere denies endorsing Jonathan

Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere has denied reports that President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in office.

Jonathan met with the group at the home of its National Chairman, Reuben Fasoranti on Tuesday, January 27, during a campaign visitto Ondo State after which he was said to have received the supposed endorsement.

The group however reportedly said in a statement released on Wednesday, January 28, that Jonathan “is not worth the endorsement of any patriotic citizen.”

“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,” a statement released by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kunle Famoriyo said.

“The ARG is not a party to the endorsement and does not in fact think the performance of the president 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,” it added.

“ARG therefore stands with the aspirations of Yoruba people for change. As echoed in Abeokuta recently at the public lecture organised by the Ogun State chapter of ARG, the change that we demand include a public pledge to restructure the country in such a way that power will devolve to the most efficient federating unit,” the statement concluded.

Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko had said during the group’s meeting with Jonathan that Afenifere’s action was an ‘unequivocal endorsement’ of the President.