2023: Afenifere reiterates endorsement of Peter Obi, denies alleged factionalisation

The Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has reiterated its support for the ambition of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 elections.

Sola Ebiseni, the Afenifere’s Secretary-General made this assertion, on Tuesday, during an interview on AriseTV, against the backdrop of a rumoured factionalisation of the group.

According to the Afenifere spokesman, the reason for the endorsement of Obi was to entrench fairness and justice, considering the fact that some regions were yet to mount the helm of affairs.

“The reason Afenifere chose Peter Obi is to prevent the incursion of the North since Nigeria is a federation.

“If the PDP wins, an impression would have been created that not other opinion cares insofar the North wins.

“If APC wins, you will have a trajectory of rotation between Yoruba and Fulanis.

“Peter Obi’s candidacy is part of the revolution in order to ensure a sense of belonging and justice amongst the stakeholders. This presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, has been endorsed by the Afenifere because it encapsulates justice and fairness,” Ebiseni said.

READ ALSO:AFENIFERE CRISIS: Fasoranti makes u-turn, says Adebanjo remains acting leader

He further detailed what happened over the rumoured in-fighting within the group after the visit of Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, to Pa Reuben Fasoranti, a former Afenifere leader, in Akure.

He explained that the meeting was not convened by either Pa Fasoranti or Afenifere. It was convened by a group known as Conscience of Yoruba Nation (COYN).

The invitation letter for the meeting printed on the letterhead of COYN and titled ‘Meeting with Yoruba leadership,’ was signed by the Director General of COYN, Abagun Kole Omololu and Dare Babarinsa.

The letter which noted that Pa Fasoranti agreed to host and preside over the meeting, said the focus was “to discuss the historic 2023 general elections and guide the Yoruba people of Nigeria to take a definite and wise decision in the overall interest of posterity and also, an interaction with one of the leading candidates, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

The DG of COYN, Abagun Omololu, who was a former chairman of Afenifere United Kingdom, is the current National Organising Secretary of the Pan-Yoruba group. However, the communique issued at the end of the meeting by Omololu was titled ‘Statement of Afenifere on the visit of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to Pa Reuben Fasoranti in his Akure Home.’ There was no mention of COYN in it.

Clarifying the situation, Ebiseni said, “During a series of meetings, we do not agree on different issues since there are diverse interests. 26 Sept 2022 was when the final decision regarding the support for Peter Obi was issued during a meeting convened by Pa Ayo Adebanjo.

“Afenifere doesn’t say it is speaking for all the group and associations in Yorubaland. The meeting held in Akure was not an Afenifere meeting. When any meeting holds in Pa Fasoranti’s house, he calls some of the Afenifere’s members and other Yoruba leaders based in Ondo State.

“Some people broke out from the group after the death of former leader, Pa Ayo Adesanya and formed the Afenifere Renewal Group while undermining Pa Fasoranti’s leadership when he took over the helm of affairs. He was harangued by these people which led to his tendering his resignation in 2015 which was not accepted by his lieutenants, before he eventually stepped down for Pa Adebanjo.”

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