The Yoruba Council of Elders says it did not endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for re-election.
The council stated that the presence of its National President, Brig- Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd), at a post-national conference summit in Ibadan, Oyo State, should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of Jonathan’s candidacy.
The elders explained through the Assistant National Secretary of YCE, Bayo Olateju, that their leader attended the meeting out of necessity, adding that its initial stance of not endorsing any of the presidential candidates, still stands.
The apex Yoruba socio-cultural organisation also spoke on the alleged plan by the Federal Government to further postpone the election, saying that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has reached a constitutional dead-end with the dates fixed for the rescheduled 2015 general elections and any further postponement could lead to constitutional crisis.
“The Electoral Law prescribes the conduct of elections 60 days before the expiration of any tenure, there cannot befurther shift of the election without causing constitutional crisis and with the assurances by President Jonathanthat 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.”