For the umpteenth time, Pa Reuben Fasoranti has restated that he remains the leader of the Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political organisation, Afenifere, as Ayo Adebanjo continued the leadership tussle with him.
Fasoranti, who was reported to have handed over to Adebanjo as acting leader in March 2021, yesterday, explained that the headship of the group lies with him and that Adebanjo would no longer host meetings of the group.
He explained that the group’s meeting would now be held in Akure, henceforth.
On his part, Adebanjo argued that Fasoranti had robbed himself of the constitutional right to lay claim to the leadership of the group having transferred the leadership to him in 2021 in order to go into retirement.
Both leaders are divided over the endorsement of Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi; and the foremost presidential candidate in the county and respected national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. While Adebanjo endorsed Obi, at a meeting in Lagos, Fasoranti, endorsed Tinubu, in Akure, last weekend.
Fasoranti in an interview aired by IATV, Wednesday, monitored by Theliberationnews, said there would be no more meetings at Adebanjo’s home, adding that the report that he stepped down as Afenifere leader was a misrepresentation.
“It was a misunderstanding and misinterpretation from some people who thought I was going senile and couldn’t comprehend. When I heard that, I reacted and the person who said that regretted saying so.”
Fasoranti added that the meetings of the group would be moved to Akure “as soon as the secretary and I put our heads together — and the leaders too.”
Fasoranti debunked the news that the group endorsed Obi.
“We have not deviated from the same principle. We still stand for the good of the people. I didn’t retire from the leadership of Afenifere. I was misinterpreted. I am still the leader of Afenifere.
“Afenifere is not endorsing Obi. We are endorsing Jagaban (Tinubu). As you can see the trend, the followership, the approval and the acceptability.
“Adebanjo cannot warn me not to welcome Tinubu. Adebanjo took a stand and I took a stand. We did not speak about Tinubu’s visit. It goes without saying that Jagaban is accepted and we approve of it. Obi has no standing in our mind at all.”
As further learned by Theliberationnews “He (Fasoranti) has no constitutional right to do and say so. He has handed it over to me, that is the end of the matter. It is not an issue. He has retired. He wrote a letter and handed it to me. He said was tired but is now confusing.”
