Afenifere crisis: Fasoranti recants, says Adebanjo still acting leader

The leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, has withdrawn his earlier statement indicating that he is withdrawing the leadership of the group from Chief Ayo Adebanjo.

News Band had reported on November 2nd that Pa Fasoranti said the leaders of the group will no longer converge on Isoya Ogbo, Ijebu home of the acting leader, Chief Adebanjo.

Following the shifting of meeting venue to the residence of the leader, observers noted that Adebanjo may have ceased to be the Afenifere acting leader.

The crisis rocking the Yoruba socio-political organisation took a deep turn following the controversial endorsement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by the former Afenifere Chairman last weekend.

As soon as news of the endorsement broke, Adebanjo, the Acting Chairman, kicked against it, and reissued a counter endorsement, insisting that Afenifere has already endorsed the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Gregory Onwubuasi Obi.

The declaration expectedly generated a rift between followers of Fasoranti and Adebanjo and his supporters.

Reacting on Thursday, however, the former said that he was misinterpreted in the media on the issue, saying he never stopped Adebanjo from being the acting leader of the group.

In a statement issued through his Personal Assistant, Mr Adedapo Abiola, in Akure, Fasoranti said some section of the media’s report was untrue on the matter.

The statement read: “It has come to Papa Reuben Fasoranti’s knowledge that some sections of the media, especially the social media, have been ascribing to him false statements designed to cause confusion and polarise Afenifere.

“I have Papa’s permission to say that he has not said Chief Ayo Adebanjo is no longer the acting leader of Afenifere nor that all future Afenifere meetings should henceforth be held at his residence in Akure.

“Papa’s main concern is the interest of the Yoruba in the complex political situation in Nigeria. It is also his concern that Afenifere should survive in dignity and remain a purveyor of the interest of the Yoruba race.” Read more.

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