Adebayo Shittu, the former Minister of Communication has knocked the leadership of Afenifere, the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, over its recent endorsement of Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Shittu expressed his optimism and conviction that the foremost presidential candidate in the country and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would win the 2023 election with or without the support of the supposed Pan-Yoruba group.
In a sheer reaction to the announcement of the acting leader of the group, Ayo Adebanjo, who said Afenifere had adopted Obi as its choice candidate.
The former Minister, however, said Afenifere’s decision to back Obi is no threat to the presidential ambition of Tinubu.
Shittu, who is the national cordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima Coalition for Good Governance spoke at an event held at Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.
He called on Yorubas to ignore Adebanjo who he said has lost touch with reality and cannot speak for the Yoruba race.
“Why should baba Adebanjo’s matter give any concern? In the last 22 years, baba Adebanjo has never won, not even a councillorship election for himself or any of his proxies.
“So, as far as I’m concerned, it is a non issue and I will rather ignore him than make a fuss of it.
“Baba Adebanjo has never supported the Yoruba cause and whatever he does now goes to no issue as far as I’m concerned. We are all Yorubas, baba is more than 90 years old and you know at that age, you have to excuse him of so many fallible, political and otherwise.
“There is no doubt that Tinubu is the idol of Yorubaland, if not of Nigeria today. At least three-quarter of Nigeria idolise Asiwaju and they have hope in him that he is coming to redeem Nigeria, that he is coming to transform Nigeria, that he is coming to give hope to the wretched, the poor, the disadvantaged and the under privileged”, Shittu said.
