Published
on September 25, 2022
Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has lambasted Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo for claiming the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation has endorsed the Labour Party Presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi as its candidate for the coming election.
Recall that the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Jare Ajayi, had in a statement on July 23, said Ahmed Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC “will only give continuity to Buhari’s incompetence. We know Peter Obi very well, that is why we endorse him”.
Also, Peter Obi had, in a tweet on August 23, said he visited the leadership of the group.
He said, “Presently visiting PA Ayo Adebanjo and members of the South and Middle Belt Leadership Forum. The National leaders of the Labour Party and other stakeholders are here too,”
However, in a statement issued on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, director, Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Tinubu alleged that Pa Adebanjo has turned Afenifere into his personal property.
The former Lagos Governor described Adebanjo as the leader of ‘Ohanifere Venture’, insisting that an individual, cannot equate himself with the socio-cultural and socio-political organisation.
The statement reads partly, “Papa Ayo Adebanjo does not speak for Afenifere. He is free as an individual to support anyone he likes, in furtherance of his democratic right.
“We know for a fact that Baba has turned Afenifere into his personal estate as acting leader. We are also certain that there was nowhere Afenifere, as we know it, met and took a decision to adopt Peter Obi as a candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
“We respect the age of Baba Adebanjo, but he cannot turn Afenifere into his personal franchise for any political alliance”.
