Afenifere breaks, Fasoranti bars Adebanjo as acting leader

NEW TELEGRAPH

Afenifere, the Pan Yoruba Socio-political Organisation has split into two as the Pa Reuben Fasoranti barred, Chief Ayo Adebanjo from speaking on behalf of the mainstream Yoruba group.

There have been noticeable cracks in the organisation before the 2023 presidential election. While Pa Fasoranti supported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Adebanjo threw his weight behind the aspiration of Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).

However, in a statement signed by the National Organising Secretary and Acting Secretary of the Fasoranti’s faction, Abagun Kole Omololu barred Chief Adebanjo from speaking on behalf of the organisation henceforth.

However, he said Adebanjo as a brand on its own can air his view on national issues but such view should not be on the platform of Afenifere.

Omololu in a statement, which he signed on the authority of Fasoranti also dissociated the Pan Yoruba Socio-political Organisation from the August 1 protest over the economic hardship faced by Nigerians.

The statement read ” Afenifere acknowledges the realities of economic challenges and hunger in the land, while we also cannot deny that there is a global economic downturn ravaging most nations of the world, developed, developing, or underdeveloped alike. We therefore call on the government at the federal and sub-national levels to step up efforts to address these issues with all in their power.

“It is every citizen’s right to protest as a way of headlining their grievances to the government. It is on record that the president was at the forefront of peaceful protests against dictatorship alongside our leading Afenifere and democratic lights like Pa Adebanjo, Oba Olu Falae, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, and Prof Wole Soyinka and Gen. Alani Akinrinade which they were in custody at various times, with many fleeing into exile like our current President at the time. So, Afenifere appreciates the philosophy of protest that is meaningful, purposeful, and corrective at its core, and would stand for the citizens’ rights so long as its objectives are noble, peaceful, and not designed to cause Rage and mayhem.

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