Presidential poll: Fasoranti-led Afenifere faction chides Adebanjo for faulting s’court verdict

Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural and political group, under the leadership of Reuben Fasoranti has rejected a position taken by Ayo Adebanjo-led faction condemning the supreme court verdict on the presidential election.

On Tuesday, the Adebanjo-led faction of Afenifere released a statement to condemn the supreme court’s verdict affirming President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 election.

The faction, in a communique, said the electoral reforms achieved through agitations of Nigerians and the billions of naira spent in the conduct of the 2023 elections have been wasted by the judgement of the apex court.

On October 26, the seven-member panel of the supreme court in a unanimous decision dismissed the petitions of Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging Tinubu’s victory.

THE COUNTER STATEMENT

However,  in a statement released on Thursday by Kole Omololu, the national organising secretary of the Fasoranti-led group, the faction said the condemnation of the supreme court verdict “is far from the truth about Afenifere’s leadership position on the matter”.

Omololu added that Fasoranti and other Afenifere leaders were not privy to the “ignominious” press statement and did not authorise it.

“Let it be on record that Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, OFR and other Afenifere leaders are not privy to such ignominious press release, did not authorise it and do not subscribe to the seditious act as such may portend,” the statement reads.

“It is merely an unfortunate misadventure of some Labour Party elements within the Afenifere fold who would rather drag the body’s reputation in the mud to achieve whatever sinister and seditious end they might have concocted.

“We are unequivocally reiterating that Pa Ayo Adebanjo is the acting leader, who in the natural and traditional order of Afenifere, is expected to defer to his leader who appointed him.

“To do otherwise is to tread such ignoble path in national discourse as this unfortunate release reveals.”

Since Adebanjo became the acting leader of Afenifere, there has been division in the Yoruba socio-political group.

DIVISION IN AFENIFERE

The Yoruba socio-political group has been fragmented into two factions months after the announcement of Adebanjo as the acting leader of Afenifere.

One faction is being led by Adebanjo and the other is controlled by Fasoranti, who had previously relinquished the group’s leadership.

The two factions have taken opposing stance on a number of national issues, including the presidential candidates supported in the last elections,.

While Afenifere endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) for the presidential election, Fasoranti backed Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).