Afenifere removes Adebanjo as acting leader

Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, on Wednesday annulled the office of the acting leader of the group being occupied by Pa Ayo Adebanjo.

Afenifere, which appointed Adebanjo as the acting leader of the group in 2022, said the position had been abrogated, adding that another group named as Afenifere Elders Caucus has been formed, of which Adebanjo is also a member.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the monthly meeting of the group held at the residence of the National Leader of the association, Pa Reuben Fasoranti on Wednesday. The communique was read by the Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Jare Ajayi.

The communique partly read, “In the light of recent events and the pressing need to reposition and rejuvenate Afenifere, it has been decided that the position of acting leader and deputy leader have now been abrogated.

“The responsibilities and authority of advising the leader of Afenifere and Asiwaju Yoruba are now vested in the Afenifere Elders Caucus which is hereby constituted.”

According to the communique, Fasoranti is the chairman of the elders’ caucus while some of the members of the group include Adebanjo, Olu Falae, Senator Cornelius Adebayo, Senator Femi Okunrounmu, Seinde Arogbofa, Senator Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, Prince Ladigbolu, Lt. Gen Alani, Akinrinade (Rtd.), Maj. Gen. Olu Bajowa (Rtd.), Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, and Prof. Banji Akintoye, amongst others.

At the meeting, the group also expressed its displeasure over the state of the nation with particular reference to the socio-economic and security challenges in the country, saying it was time to restructure the country.

“There is an urgent need to rework the security architecture of the country to ensure that Nigerians are able to live and move about without the fear of being kidnapped or harassed in any way. Such reworking should include giving states and local government councils that so desire to establish their own police services with all the requisite powers to function as such. Doing so would check if not totally stop, the incidences of kidnapping and sundry banditry now ravaging the land.

“The unfortunate blast in Ibadan clearly underscores the need to allow the federating units in the country to control mineral resources in their respective areas with particular reference to mining and exploration.

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“The reasoning behind this was that had it been that states were in control of mining, for instance, the Oyo State Government was likely to know how explosives were being moved around. Such would have made last week’s horrendous blast that claimed many lives, traumatised hundreds of people, and destroyed properties running into billions of naira would have been prevented.”

While reiterating that it is time for a restructuring of the country, the Afenifere urged President Bola Tinubu to set the machinery in motion for the purpose.

“The organisation (Afenifere) took note of the fact that the President, a known democrat and federalist would not hesitate to do things that would quicken the country’s quest for true federalism in which people would have self-determination within the context of one nation that is genuinely democratic and federal,” the group noted.

The crack in the group became clear ahead of the 2023 presidential election when Fasoranti and his loyalists supported President Bola Tinubu while Adebanjo endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

Adebanjo has been faced with calls to vacate the seat of the group’s acting leader majorly for opposing Tinubu’s election.

While Fasoranti congratulated the President on his election, Adebanjo didn’t share the same view.

Reacting, a group of youths, under the aegis of Yoruba Afenifere Youths Organisation of Nigeria, on April 4, 2023, passed a vote of no confidence in Adebanjo.

The group advised him to “kindly step down as the acting leader of Afenifere in the interest of the organisation and the entire Yoruba race.”

The group said that Afenifere has been derailing since Adebanjo became the acting leader because he allegedly abandoned the uncompromising pursuit and defence of the interest of the Yoruba people, as evident in his vigorous campaign against Tinubu; a fellow Yoruba man.

Two weeks later, the same youth group stormed the residence of Fasoranti, imploring him to order Adebanjo to vacate the seat of Afenifere’s acting leader.