Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, has chastised the acting leader, Ayo Adebanjo, for faulting the verdict of the Supreme Court on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory.
While dissociating Afenifere from the communiqué signed by Adebanjo and the Secretary-General of the group, Sola Ebiseni, Fasoranti stated that the mainstream Yoruba organisation had congratulated Tinubu on his victories at the polls and the courts.
According to Fasoranti’s faction the discord within Afenifere was being aided by the presence of those it described as “Labour Party elements.”
In a communiqué issued at the end of its monthly regular meeting held at Isanya-Ogbo, Ogun State, the country home of Adebanjo, the verdict of the Supreme Court was said to have ratified the “brigandage” of the February 25, 2023 polls.
The Labour Party elements had said: “Afenifere is dismayed by the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, particularly regarding the Presidential Election, which seemingly endorsed electoral misconduct.
“Unfortunately, the Supreme Court’s decision has nullified the electoral advancements achieved through the public’s demand for quality control using technological advancements, as well as the significant financial investments made in this regard.”
While reiterating the call for true federalism, the mainstream Yoruba organisation emphasised that the move is the only solution to restructure the country into a proper entity where all constituent groups have a sense of belonging.
“Nigeria comprises entrenched ethnic nationalities that have failed to coalesce into a unified nation due to its deviation from the fundamental principles of federalism.
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“Unless Nigeria is ruled on the basis of true federalism, which guarantees inclusiveness, fairness, egalitarianism, justice, and a sense of belonging to all its constituent groups, it will remain a mere geographical expression.”
Reacting in a statement, Fasoranti who frowned at the “misadventure,” maintained that some persons with ulterior motives were trying to put the foremost organisation into disrepute.
Fasoranti reiterated that he remained the leader of the group while Adebanjo was the acting leader.
“The attention of the Leader of Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, OFR, and other leaders of the apex Yoruba body has been drawn to a communiqué purportedly released in the name of Afenifere by the General Secretary, Chief Sola Ebiseni, where Afenifere is said to fault the Supreme Court judgement upholding Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s election as the President of Nigeria.
“This is far from the truth about Afenifere’s leadership position on the matter. It is merely an unfortunate misadventure of some Labour Party elements within the Afenifere fold who would rather drag the body’s reputation in the mud to achieve whatever sinister and seditious end they might have concocted.
“Let it be on record that the Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, OFR, and other Afenifere leaders are not privy to such an ignominious press release, did not authorise it, and do not subscribe to the seditious act such may portend.
“We are unequivocal in reiterating that Pa Ayo Adebanjo is the Acting Leader, who, in the natural and traditional order of Afenifere, is expected to defer to his leader, who appointed him, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, OFR, without reservations.
“To do otherwise is to tread such an ignoble path in national discourse, as this unfortunate release reveals.”
