Adebanjo no longer leader, won’t host Afenifere meetings - Fasoranti

The battle for leadership of the Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political organisation, Afenifere, between Reuben Fasoranti and Ayo Adebanjo, continue to linger on.

Fasoranti, who handed over the group to Adebanjo in March 2021, claims he continues to be the soul leader of Afenifere and that Adebanjo would henceforth no longer host meetings which would be held in Akure.

Reacting to the news, Adebanjo said Fasoranti had no constitutional right to make such a pronouncement, because he had retired and officially handed over to him (Adebanjo).

This feud happened to have started over disagreement of the group's preferred presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 election.

The Afenifere under Adebanjo endorsed Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party at a meeting in Lagos, while Fasoranti endorsed Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Akure.

Speaking in an interview with IATV on Wednesday, Fasoranti said meetings will no longer be held at Adebanjo’s home, whiles dismissing his decision to step down as leader of Afenifere.

“It was a misunderstanding and misinterpretation from some people who thought I was going senile and couldn’t comprehend. When I heard that, I reacted and the person who said that regretted saying so.”

“We have not deviated from the same principle. We still stand for the good of the people. I didn’t retire from the leadership of Afenifere. I was misinterpreted. I am still the leader of Afenifere.

“Afenifere is not endorsing Obi. We are endorsing Jagaban (Tinubu). As you can see the trend, the followership, the approval and the acceptability.

“Adebanjo cannot warn me not to welcome Tinubu. Adebanjo took a stand and I took a stand. We did not speak about Tinubu’s visit. It goes without saying that Jagaban is accepted and we approve of it. Obi has no standing in our mind at all.”

In a telephone interview with Vanguard, Adebanjo on his part said: “He (Fasoranti) has no constitutional right to do and say so. He has handed it over to me, that is the end of the matter. It is not an issue. He has retired. He wrote a letter and handed it to me. He said was tired but is now causing confusion.

BS