The leader of the pan-Yoruba group Afenifere Chief Ayo Adebanjo has said he didn’t have to consult former leader of the group Pa Reuben Fasoranti, before Afenifere endorsed Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi.
Adebanjo stated this while reacting to the controversy raised by the visit of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu to Fasoranti over the weekend.
Adebanjo who said the comments trailing the visit are an attempt to divide the group, said all those who attended are APC members in Afenifere.
Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), visited Pa Fasoranti in Akure on Sunday where the former Lagos State governor was endorsed.
But during his appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Adebanjo who earlier endorsed Labour Party (LP)’s Peter Obi said the latest move was aimed at splitting the group.
He said “I do not have to consult Fasoranti before Afenifere endorsed Peter Obi.”
He said he told Fasoranti that they were out to cause division and that the former leader should stay away from them.
He said Fasoranti didn’t endorse Tinubu.
He added, “There is nothing going on other than an attempt to split Afenifere to which I will not be a party,” he said on Monday.
“It is a sort of conspiracy among those who want to see Afenifere divided. They have been on this plan for over a month ago and my members came to me to alert me about it and I said, ‘Don’t talk aboutit. It would be a diversion’,” the Afenifere chieftain added. “All we want now is an election on issues.”
He said Pa Fasoranti had called to inform him about Tinubu’s planned visit. He said the former Afenifere leader was initially not open to receiving the APC candidate but he persuaded him to do so.
“I will tell you the story and I won’t go further,” he said. “Pa Fasoranti phoned me on Friday that Tinubu had phoned him and that he wanted to come and see him and he wanted to say no. I said no, don’t do that, you are an elder statesman. If he wanted to see you, why not?”
As far as he is concerned, Obi’s endorsement is based on the principles of equity as the South-East has not produced a president since the return of democracy in 1999. Since the South-West and South-South have produced the president, he said it is the turn of the South-East.
“South-South has had its own and I said it is remaining the South-East,” he noted.
