Don’t divide Afenifere with your bribes, Adebanjo tells Tinubu

Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo has warned Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to divide the group with bribes ahead of the 2023 general election.

He accused Tinubu of inducing a few members of Afenifere to curry favour in his preparation for the polls, insisting that Afenifere had already endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) for the next year’s election based on principle.

The latest reaction from Adebanjo is coming following Tinubu’s visit to Reuben Fasoranti, a foremost leader of Afenifere, at his hometown of Akure, Ondo capital, on Sunday.

Adebanjo, who took over as the leader of the Afenifere in March 2021 after Fasoranti, 96, stepped down from the leadership of the pan-Yoruba group during a meeting held at his residence, had consistently expressed his disavowal to Tinubu’s presidential bid.

Tinubu had stormed Mr Fasoranti’s residence in the company of Bisi Akande, a former interim chairman of the APC; Iyiola Omisore, APC National Secretary; Pius Akinyelure, a Former National Vice Chairman of the APC South-West Zone; Dayo Adeyeye, National Chairman, Southwest Agenda for Tinubu 2023 presidential ambition (SWAGA), among others.

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The Gazette had reported how the APC presidential candidate shortly after his arrival immediately went into a closed door meeting with Mr Fasoranti where he received the “blessing” of the Afenifere leader.

However, some members of the pan-Yoruba group, which included Mr Adebanjo and the Secretary-General, Sola Ebiseni, completely stayed away from the meeting held inside the compound of Mr Fasoranti.

During the visit, Mr Tinubu was endorsed for the 2023 presidency by the leaders of the Afenifere, who attended the meeting amid the division in the pan-Yoruba group.

The leaders of the group, who were from the six South-West states including Kwara and Kogi, said that the APC presidential candidate remained the best choice for Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of the Afenifere leaders, Sehinde Arogbofa, the group’s former General Secretary, said Mr Tinubu is a true son of Yoruba land, hence their support for him in the 2023 election.

Mr Arogbofa told Mr Tinubu to address the issue of insecurity and restructuring with all seriousness if elected the next president of Nigeria.

He also pleaded with the APC presidential candidate to be a leader that will unite Nigeria and work for the progress and development of the country.