A faction of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) loyal to Dr Fredrick Faseun has appealed to leaders and voters in the northern region to reciprocate the support that President Bola Tinubu extended to the late President Muhammadu Buhari during his 2019 re-election bid, describing the 2027 presidential election as “payback time.”

The group, at its 32ndFounder’s Day and inauguration of a new national executive council (NEC), also pledged its unwavering support for President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, describing him as the organisation’s “corporate project.”

Speaking at the anniversary, the president of the group, Wasiu Afolabi, who was re-elected for another four years, said that Nigerians should allow Tinubu to perfect the reforms he had embarked upon, expressing optimism that Nigerians would soon begin to reap the benefits of the sacrifices they had endured over the years.

According to him, a lesson from Dr Fasehun is that the organisation should regard any Yoruba man in office as OPC’s corporate project, and if the right atmosphere is created, the group will still queue behind Tinubu’s 2027 presidential election.

However, he urged Tinubu, governors, and all national and federal legislators seeking election to promote policies, programmes, and projects, and to make security a priority, reminding them that the primary purpose of government is to provide security and welfare for the people.

He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to maintain neutrality and ensure that every Nigerian’s vote is counted.

Meanwhile, the OPC expressed readiness to partner with relevant government agencies to provide security in hotspots where terrorists have invaded or have operated, particularly in the South-West, stating that the group has made significant contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey since the military era.

Also, the group’s Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Wale Oshun, charged the newly appointed executives to operate within the confines of the socio-cultural group’s principles of maintaining peace and unity.

He vowed that no member of the OPC would be involved in electoral violence, stressing that the group abhors cheating and had, over the years, been recognised as a peace-loving organisation.