Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has disowned activist Sunday Adeyemo alias Sunday Igboho and his Yoruba nation agitators, saying he does not believe in any entity asides Nigeria.
Sunday Igboho had claimed the agitators had the backing of Mr Akeredolu at a rally in Akure on Saturday.
“The governor is aware of these things we are doing, we have his support. We are no more under the Fulani. All we want is Yoruba nation,” he had said.
Akeredolu, who is the chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, immediately countered saying he did not give the movement his blessing.
“Governor Akeredolu wishes to state clearly that while he acknowledges the right of individuals and groups to hold peaceful rallies, it must not be misconstrued to mean support for secessionist agenda and or balkanization of the nation. Far from it,” he said in a statement on Sunday by his chief press secretary Richard Olatunde.
“Unequivocally, the Governor’s opinion on the Akure rally or any other of its ilk, is only to the effect that he is not opposed to any civil protest which is not in breach of the extant laws of the Nation. He neither believes, nor supports the quest for the Yoruba Nation outside of Nigeria in the manner canvassed. Governor Akeredolu stands by a virile, united and indivisible Nigeria as demanded by the Southern Governors’ Forum.
“Therefore, the vigour, zeal, leadership and candour displayed by Governor Akeredolu for a just and fair Nigeria is altruistic, and borne out of patriotism for the Nation as well as love for his people, the Yoruba ethnic nationality.
“It is important, therefore, to state without any equivocation that the Yoruba Nation secessionist promoters do not enjoy any lending hand in Governor Akeredolu.”
