Fasoranti Vs Adebanjo: Fresh Update Emerges as Tinubu/Peter Obi Endorsements Throw Afenifere into Crisis

Fasoranti Vs Adebanjo: Fresh Update Emerges as Tinubu/Peter Obi Endorsements Throw Afenifere into Crisis

  • Afenifere leaders have started making moves to put its house in order after presidential endorsements divided the Yoruba socio-cultural group into two
  • The group became divided after its two leaders, Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Pa Ayo Adebanjo, endorsed Tinubu and Peter Obi respectively
  • However, a four-man committee saddled with the responsibility of resolving the differences has been set up

Southwest, Nigeria - Measures have been put in place to resolve the crisis in the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, amid the campaigns for the 2023 presidential election.

Afenifere became fictionalised after the group's two leaders, Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Pa Ayo Adebanjo, endorsed different presidential candidates.

Pa Fasoranti/Pa Adebanjo/Afenifere/Yoruba Group/Tinubu and Peter Obi Presidential Endorsements
Afenifere became divided after its two leaders, Pa Fasoranti and Pa Adebanjo endorsed APC's Tinubu and Labour Party's Peter Obi respectively. Photo credit: @TheNationNews (photo modified by author)
Source: Twitter

While Fasoranti backed the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, Adebanjo queued behind the Labour Party flagbearer, Peter Obi.

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Pa Fasoranti is said to be the group's leader, while Adebanjo is the acting leader.

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Afenifere: Four-man committee set up to resolve crisis

According to The Punch, a four-man committee with the mandate to resolve the crisis was set up on Thursday, November 3.

Members of the committee include:

  1. Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation
  2. Senator Femi Okurounmu
  3. Chief Cornelius Adebayo
  4. Bashorun Sehinde Arogbofa, Afenifere Secretary-General

Legit.ng gathers that the committee will meet with the Afenifere leader, Pa Fasoranti and the group's acting leader, Pa Adebanjo, to resolve the rift.

The development was confirmed by the national organising secretary of Afenifere, Kole Omololu.

Omololu assured that the issues would soon be thrashed out, insisting that there was no crisis in the association.

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Finally, MURIC speaks on Fasoranti's right to endorse Tinubu, reveals position

He also clarified that Pa Fasoranti did not sack Adebanjo as earlier reported by the media.

“Baba never sacked the acting leader, Pa Adebanjo. The acting leader will still be the one calling the meeting and the meeting will still be held at the leader’s place," Omololu stated.

Afenifere crisis to be resolved soon, Okurounmu also says

Similarly, a former Afenifere secretary, Senator Femi Okurounmu, assured that the crisis would soon be resolved.

A former senator representing Ogun East and Afenifere leader, Gbenga Kaka, also dismissed reports that there was a crisis in the socio-cultural group, describing it as mere disagreement.

According to Kaka, the issue between Fasoranti and Adebanjo was a matter of choices, adding that it would be resolved shortly.

2023 presidency: Sowore reacts to Afenifere’s endorsements of Tinubu and Peter Obi

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, reacted to Afenifere's endorsements of Tinubu and Obi.

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Tension in southwest as 2 powerful leaders split fire over Tinubu’s candidature

He said:

“Afenifere TEAM ‘A’ & Afenifere ‘B’ ought to know they goofed, they can’t sit in their living rooms and endorse candidates on behalf of South-West, they are too fiercely independent to fall for these crooked endorsements. They’ll always vote their conscience!”

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Nurudeen Lawal avatar

Nurudeen Lawal (Head of Politics and Current Affairs Desk) Nurudeen Lawal is an AFP-certified journalist with a wealth of experience spanning over 8 years. He received his B/Arts degree in Literature-in-English from OAU. Lawal is the Head of the Politics/CA Desk at Legit.ng, where he applies his expertise to provide incisive coverage of events. He was named the Political Desk Head of the Year (Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award 2023). He is also a certified fact-checker (Dubawa fellowship, 2020). Contact him at lawal.nurudeen@corp.legit.ng or +2347057737768.