Afenifere Diaspora USA has expressed full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture and the appointment of new Service Chiefs, describing the move as a bold and timely step reflective of a leader attuned to the demands of governance.
In a statement on Saturday 26 October 2025, jointly signed by its Chairman, Professor Sikiru Fadairo, and Secretary, Comrade David Adeyinka Adenekan, the group reaffirmed that Nigeria’s democracy remains “sacrosanct” and must be protected against any attempt to undermine it.
“Our fragile, fledgling, and hard-won democracy must be defended at all costs from detractors and fifth columnists attempting to create distractions across the political landscape,” the group stated.
Reacting to recent speculations linking the Service Chiefs’ reshuffle to alleged coup rumours, Afenifere Diaspora USA dismissed such claims, insisting that any form of military interference in governance remains an aberration that should be condemned.
“Within less than two years, Nigerians will have another opportunity to decide at the polls whether to re-elect the incumbent President or choose a new leader, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
“That is the only legitimate means of leadership change in a democracy,” the statement read.
The group also cautioned Northern leaders, including the Sultan of Sokoto, against making inflammatory statements capable of stoking ethnic or regional tensions.
It stressed that the presidency is not the exclusive preserve of any region or group but a collective national responsibility governed by an unwritten rotation understanding between North and South.
Citing the political history of recent administrations, the group recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari, from the North, served two terms without major opposition from Southern leaders.
“When Buhari sought re-election in 2019, the contest was between two Northerners—Buhari and Atiku Abubakar. There was no Southern political uprising against his continued leadership,” it noted.
While acknowledging current challenges under the Tinubu administration, including insecurity and rising poverty, Afenifere Diaspora USA stressed that these issues should not be used to justify attempts to derail democratic governance.
Instead, it urged constructive engagement and reform through constitutional means.
The group appealed to Northern leaders not to “fan the embers of disunity” between the Yoruba and Igbo ethnic groups in Southern Nigeria.
“These two groups must be allowed to decide among themselves who should lead from the South in 2027,” the statement said.
It further warned that any attempt to disregard the gentleman’s agreement on power rotation between the North and South could provoke widespread political instability.
Responding to reported comments attributed to the prominent northern community leader, the group questioned whether such rhetoric was intended to sow division.
Wondering whether the traditional leader was attempting to pit Igbos against Yorubas and stir ethnic tension, the group cautioned that in today’s digital age, when intermarriage and economic ties have united Southern Nigeria such divisive remarks are both outdated and dangerous.
It called for unity and strategic cooperation among Southern Nigerians, stating, “People of Southern Nigeria must be wise, reconcile their differences, and work together toward a consensus candidate who will drive the agenda for restructuring and true federalism”.
Afenifere Diaspora USA emphasized that both the North and South have a shared responsibility to build a just, fair, and equitable nation.
“We are all in this together. True nation-building requires collective commitment, not division,” the group declared.
