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OPC Fasehun Faction Endorses Tinubu for 2027, Urges Nigerians to Back President’s Second-Term Bid
OPC Fasehun Faction Endorses Tinubu for 2027, Urges Nigerians to Back President’s Second-Term Bid
The late Dr. Frederick Fasehun faction of the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC) has thrown its weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s bid for re-election in the 2027 presidential election, declaring that the organisation is prepared to support his second-term ambition.
The endorsement was made on Saturday in Lagos during activities marking the 32nd Founders Day anniversary of the group and the inauguration of its newly constituted National Executive Council (NEC).
The development signals a significant political statement from the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, which has historically remained deeply connected to political and democratic developments in the South-West.
The O’odua People’s Congress was founded on August 29, 1994, by a group of Yoruba nationalists and activists led by the late medical doctor, human rights activist and pro-democracy campaigner, Dr. Frederick Fasehun.
At the anniversary event, the organisation’s re-elected President, Mr Wasiu Afolabi, recalled the role played by the group in the 2023 presidential election and declared that it would once again mobilise behind Tinubu in 2027, provided the appropriate political atmosphere was created.
Afolabi said: “We contributed our quota to ensuring the victory of Tinubu in 2023. One lesson from Fasehun is that the organisation should regard any Yoruba man in office as OPC’s corporate project.
“As a result of this orientation that our founder gave us, and if the right atmosphere is created, we shall still queue behind President Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election.
“We also urge the other regions to support the President’s second-term bid to help him perfect the visionary reforms he has embarked upon.
“The North especially, should realise that it is payback time for the backing that Tinubu gave to late President Muhammadu Buhari’s two tenures of eight years.”
OPC Revisits June 12 Struggle:-
Afolabi also used the occasion to reflect on the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the OPC, linking its emergence to the political crisis that followed the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election widely believed to have been won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola.
He said “Some 32 years ago when Dr. Frederick Fasehun took the initiative to establish OPC, it was to fulfil a divine assignment. OPC was born as a child of necessity.”
According to him, the annulment of the June 12 mandate represented not only a setback to Nigeria’s democratic development but also a major affront to millions of Nigerians who participated in the election.
Afolabi argued that the military government’s decision to annul the election amounted to an insult to the estimated eight million Nigerians who voted for Abiola and, more broadly, to the Yoruba people.
The OPC leader maintained that the organisation’s historical roots in the pro-democracy struggle continued to shape its outlook and its expectations from political leaders.
Calls for Urgent Action on Nigeria’s Challenges:-
Beyond the 2027 endorsement, Afolabi called on President Tinubu, state governors and members of the National Assembly to treat the country’s prevailing challenges as a matter of national emergency.
He urged political leaders to prioritise policies and projects capable of improving the welfare and security of Nigerians, stressing that governance must remain focused on the needs of ordinary citizens.
“The leaders must remember that the Nigerian Constitution they all swore to uphold says in Section 14(2)(b) that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,” he said.
The OPC president particularly identified insecurity as one of the most pressing threats facing the country and offered the organisation’s cooperation to government security agencies in addressing the challenge.
“We are ready to partner with relevant government agencies to secure the South-West from enemies within and enemies from outside.”
OPC Offers Support Against Insecurity:-
Afolabi’s remarks placed security at the centre of the organisation’s anniversary message, with the group signalling its readiness to work alongside relevant authorities to protect communities across the South-West.
He said the OPC was prepared to contribute its grassroots structure and local presence to efforts aimed at confronting insecurity, particularly threats affecting residents and communities in the region.
The declaration comes amid continued national debates over the effectiveness of security measures and the role of community-based organisations in supporting formal security agencies.
Group Demands Credible 2027 Elections:-
On the forthcoming 2027 elections, Afolabi also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to maintain neutrality throughout the electoral process.
He urged the relevant institutions to ensure that every eligible Nigerian is allowed to exercise their franchise freely and that votes cast by citizens are accurately counted and respected.
According to him, the credibility of the electoral process would be critical to sustaining public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic system.
Oshun Praises Fasehun’s Legacy:-
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Chairman of the occasion and Chairman of the OPC Board of Trustees, Mr Wale Oshun, described the organisation as one of the foremost legacy groups to emerge from Nigeria’s struggle for democracy following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Oshun said the continued survival and activities of the organisation years after the death of its founder represented a lasting tribute to Fasehun’s vision.
He noted that the group had continued to maintain its presence in the national conversation eight years after the death of its founder, demonstrating the enduring influence of the ideals upon which the OPC was established.
The anniversary ceremony therefore combined remembrance, organisational renewal and political positioning, as hundreds of OPC members gathered in Lagos to celebrate the organisation’s 32nd year while formally endorsing Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
With the 2027 presidential election already beginning to shape Nigeria’s political landscape, the endorsement by the Fasehun faction of the OPC adds another layer to the growing alignment of political and socio-cultural groups around the forthcoming contest.
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