Pa Adebanjo denies statement supporting Peter Obi

Leader of the apex pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, has debunked a statement credited to him purportedly endorsing the candidacy of Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 presidential election.

The elder statesman had on July 12, allegedly threw his weight behind the former Anambra State Governor and called on Nigerians to reject the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar respectively.

“In my opinion, only Peter Obi can rule the country independently without the influence of these criminals in the government. Tinubu will only give continuity to Buhari’s incompetence.

“We know Peter Obi very well, that’s why we endorsed him. He will not disappoint Nigerians, let’s put tribal differences apart and vote the right leader in,” Adebanjo was widely quoted as saying while featuring in an online radio programme, Yoruba Gbode.

Read also: Nigerian govt lying about seeking political resolution to Kanu, Igboho’s cases —Pa Adebanjo

But in a statement on Sunday by Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Adebanjo urged Nigerians to disregard the comment as they did not emanate from him since he does not have any social media account.

Ajayi said the statement credited to the group’s leader from a Twitter account did not belong to him or any of the Afenifere leaders.

“It is hereby being clearly stated that Chief Adebanjo has no social media account of any sort, be it Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc,” part of the statement said.

“Whenever he has anything to say to the public, he does so directly by addressing the press, through an interview or a press statement. He also addresses the public through the Secretary General or the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere.

“The so called social media account was created by mischievous persons for nefarious objectives, as could be gleaned from one of the posts purporting to explain why Adebanjo is supporting Mr. Peter Obi in the forthcoming presidential election in 2023 instead of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a Yoruba man.

“Since the elder statesman does not have any social media accounts, whatever is found in the Twitter account could not be said to have come from him.

“The media and members of the public are hereby enjoined to disregard any statement purported to have been sourced from Pa Adebanjo’s social media account because he has none.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now