Omoniyi Salaudeen
Yoruba Self-determination Advancement Forum (YOSEDAF) has decried the poor quality of governance and the attendant poverty in the country since the advent of the present democratic dispensation.
At a press conference held at Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, the group lamented the failure of leadership to address the basic fundamental needs of the people.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that in the last two decades since return to civil rule, democracy has failed woefully to deliver on good governance.
“No wonder then that Nigeria was recently declared as the global headquarters of poverty with the largest number of world’s poor,” it said.
While stressing the need for a true federalism as a panacea for separatist agitations, the forum declared that that it would only support any political party and candidate with restructuring agenda in the 2019 presidential election.
“In the coming presidential election, we would mobilise Yoruba people across board in reaffirming our commitment to fundamental change in the quality of life to support political party and candidate with a clear and feasible manifesto for restructuring and genuine federalism,” it said.
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To ensure genuine commitment to restructuring, the group promised to mobilise the Yoruba people for with any candidate that has the capacity and sincerity of purpose to bring about the necessary change in the existing federal structure.
“In 2015, the prominent parties merely paid lip-service to restructuring. Therefore, for any political party and its presidential candidate to enjoy the support of self-determination platform and the people in Yorubaland, a covenant on restructuring and genuine federalism that guarantee minimum autonomy for Yoruba land has become non-negotiable.
“Hence our resolve that Yoruba people will not support a candidate on the basis of promises of bringing about highfalutin change. There must be a clear roadmap with the prospects of delivering on restructuring and federalism worth of the support of our people,” it added.