Endorsement Saga: Intrigues as Fasoranti Steps up to Seize Afenifere Structure from Adebanjo
POLITICS DIGEST – The last may not have been heard about the internal wranglings within the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, over the endorsement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ahead of next year’s elections.
The group’s acting leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, had months ago endorsed the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying as a matter of justice and equity, power must shift to the southeast. The group’s immediate past leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, who reportedly handed over to Adebanjo due to old age some years ago, has however come out to disown his successor, saying Tinubu is their preferred choice.
Due to the public spat between the two elders, Pa Fasoranti has now commenced steps to seize the reigns of power from Adebanjo.
Pa Fasoranti has now said that the meeting of the socio-political organisation will henceforth hold in Akure, capital of Ondo State.
He said the leaders of the group will no longer converge on Isoya Ogbo, Ijebu home of Chief Adebanjo.
Following the shifting of meeting venue to the residence of Pa Fasoranti, Adebanjo may have ceased to be acting leader.
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Fasoranti, frontline educator and Second Republic Commissioner for Finance in Ondo State, reiterated the group’s endorsement of Tinubu in an interview he granted to an online TV on Monday.
He rejected the insinuations that he was paid to endorse Tinubu, saying that he has been a man of principle all his life.
Fasoranti said those who started meeting at Ogbo after naming Adebanjo as acting leader misunderstood and misinterpreted him.
He lamented that these people shifted the meeting of Afenifere to Adebanjo’s residence because they felt he was becoming senile.
Fasoranti said some people felt he could not comprehend things, adding that the person who said that has regretted it.
However, Fasoranti said he is not senile, adding that “there is no shaking.”
He stressed:”The reason the meeting was shifted was due to misunderstanding and misinterpretation by some people that I was going senile and that I cannot comprehend. When I heard that, I reacted and the person saying that regretted it.”
He said he will now communicate meeting schedules to Afenifere members after speaking with the secretary and other leaders on meeting agenda.
He maintained that most Afenifere chieftains have said they will no longer go to Ogbo for meetings.
Fasoranti promised to leave a legacy of stability and honesty in Afenifere.
He said the organisation will continue to pursue restructuring as a cardinal belief.
