Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere has described the meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the former leader of the group and a prominent Yoruba leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, Ondo State, as diversionary.
Quest Times earlier reported that the APC flag-bearer on Sunday, October 30, visited the residence of Afenifere’s erstwhile leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Other Afenifere leaders at the meeting included Chief Pius Akinyelure, Prof Isaac Adewole, Chief Olu Falae, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Alani Akinrinade, Olu Bajowa, Mr Sola Iji and Dr Kunle Olajide.
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In a swift reaction, Mr Adebanjo accused Tinubu of inducing a few members of Afenifere to curry favour in his preparation for the polls.
He insisted that Afenifere had already endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) for the next year’s election based on principle.
“Tinubu bribed some people with little money to put up a show that there’s a division in Afenifere.
“I won’t engage him and those he gave money to because we have already made our position clear that Peter Obi is our candidate. Peter Obi as president will serve our interest better than Tinubu,” Pa Adebanjo told TheGazette.
Adebanjo also said Fasoranti called him over the phone on Friday and he warned him.
“The Yoruba People know their leader. I’ve spoken, the National Secretary has spoken. This is no the time to engage in polemics. The way forward is my position.
“What happened was a diversion. They want us to be engaged in arguments. Is that the issue now?”
Pa Adebanjo insisted that in the interest of fairness and justice, it is the turn of the South East to produce the next President.
“Can he (Tinubu) deny it that the South-West has not had its turn? Can he deny it that South-South has not had its turn? They should answer that. As far as I am concerned, the meeting does not concern us as Afenifere.
“Afenifere is not divided. That was why I said I don’t want to engage in polemics. They want to throw a wedge between me and Pa Reuben Fasoranti and I won’t allow it. The man phoned me yesterday and I warned him, don’t get yourself involved,” he told DailyTrust.