2023: Adebanjo on his own, Afenifere united for Tinubu, says Sen. Adeyeye

Mr Adeyeye emphasised that “whatever Adebanjo said was not a statement issued at the end of a meeting of the organisation, it was his personal decision.

News Agency of Nigeria • August 25, 2022

Senator Dayo Adeyeye and Pa Ayo Adebanjo

Contrary to the position of Ayo Adebanjo, most members of Afenifere, are in support of the aspiration of APC presidential candidate Bola Tinubu, claims Senator Dayo Adeyeye.

Pa Adebanjo, the leader of the apex pan-Yoruba socio political organisation, has been resolute in his opposition to the emergence of Mr Tinubu as Nigeria’s next leader in 2023. The octogenarian says Afenifere, in the spirit of equity and fairness, is supporting Peter Obi from the South-East.

But Adeyeye, who leads a support group, South West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA), for Mr Tinubu says Mr Adebanjo has no right to decide the political direction for the region.

“I have respect for Adebanjo. He is my leader in Afenifere. As of today, the leader of Afenifere, for clarity, is Reuben Fasoranti,” Mr Adeyeye said during a live telecast monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

“If a decision is going to be taken by Afenifere, it is not a one-man show.

“What I read in the papers was a personal decision of Adebanjo and not the opinion of Afenifere,” he stressed.

Mr Adeyeye emphasised that “whatever Adebanjo said was not a statement issued at the end of a meeting of the organisation, it was his personal decision.

“It is not a fact that Afenifere is divided or there is factionalisation.”

“Ninety-nine per cent of the Afeniferes are behind Tinubu,” he added.

The former spokesman of the senate further said that the 2023 general elections would be very interesting.

“I expect this to be perhaps the most competitive election and one that will be watched more keenly throughout the world because Nigeria is at a crossroad and we must get it right.

“I believe we have that candidate who can turn things around for good for Nigeria,” he said.

On a possible run-off for Tinubu, Mr Adeyeye said that it won’t be possible.

“I do not see a possible run-off because the bar for you to be declared elected as president is not too high as we have it in some other nations of the world.

“In Nigeria, what you need is to have the majority of the votes and one quarter of the votes in two thirds of the states.

“I think that is easier to secure. We have the network,” he said.

(NAN)

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