- Says He Didn’t Need to Consult Fasoranti Before Decision to Endorse Peter Obi
Leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has said the visit by the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was made possible by people who he said are trying to split the group.
The presidential candidate of the APC had on Sunday, visited Pa Rueben Fasoranti in Akure, the Ondo State Capital where the former Lagos State governor was warmly received and unanimously accepted.
However, the development has ignited another controversy over the unity among prominent Yoruba leaders and their followers especially over which direction the Yoruba must go in the 2023 presidential election.
Reacting, Adebanjo while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday said the group should address the main issue, which according to him is to return presidency to the South-East.
“There’s nothing going on other than to split Afenifere to which I will not be a party.
“It is a sort of conspiracy among those who want to see Afenifere divided. They have been on this plan for over a month ago and my members came to me to alert me about it and I said, ‘Don’t talk about it. It would be a diversion. All we want now is an election on issues,” Adebanjo said
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He disclosed that Fasoranti had called to inform him about Tinubu’s planned visit which he(Fasoranti) wanted to decline but he persuaded him to grant Tinubu’s request to visit him.
“I will tell you the story and I won’t go further,” he said. “Pa Fasoranti phoned me on Friday that Tinubu had phoned him and that he wanted to come and see him and he wanted to say no. I said no, don’t do that. You are an elder statesman. If he wanted to see you, why not?”
He further explained that, Obi’s endorsement is based on the principles of equity as the South-East has not produced a president since the return of democracy in 1999. Since the South-West and South-South have produced the president, he said it is the turn of the South-East.
“South-South has had its own and I said it is remaining the South-East,” he noted
Adebanjo stated that Afenifere is not a cultural organisation for the Yorubas.
“I will continue to repeat that emphatically that Afenifere is the Yoruba interpretation for the Action Group led by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who is the champion of federalism in Nigeria.
“It’s in that context that the question of rotation and federal character came in and we are a party to it. We are fighting on ideological stand” he said.
Asked if he consulted Fasoranti before endorsing Obi, Adebanjo said he doesn’t have to consult the elder statesman, adding that he had handed over the leadership of the group to him over a year ago.
“I don’t have to consult him. He handed over the group to me over a year ago. That is not the way we do it in the Action Group and he knows it.
“When he phoned me, I told him that these people want to cause dissension and that he should get out of it. I know all of them.
“I would like you to examine all of them who you called Afenifere, ask them when last did they attend Afenifere meeting and look at all the personalities there. They are the Yoruba leaders in APC.”
Asked if Fasoranti’s gesture to Tinubu connotes endorsement, Adebanjo said the elder statesman did not endorse the presidential bid of the former Lagos governor.
The Afenifere leader said those who are jealous of the solidarity of the group with the candidacy of Obi initiated the visit of Tinubu to Fasoranti.
“From what he told me and what I understood, it cannot be an endorsement because I told him to receive him as a citizen,” he added.
“I would like you to ask Pa Fasoranti if he is opposed to the stance of Afenifere. If he says, yes, I’m okay.
“The people in Afenifere, the executives and all that, we know where we are. Those who have left Afenifere, who are jealous of the solidarity there now and are the ones who want to cause dissension, that are bringing him (Tinubu).
“I warned Pa Fasoranti not to allow himself to be put into this mess.They are not just coming to greet you, they are coming to ask for your blessings.They were not there when we were doing all these things. But I don’t want any diversion at this time. Afenifere is for Obi.”