Reuben Fasoranti, former leader of Afenifere, says the
organisation recognises Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s president-elect.
In a statement on Wednesday, the elder statesman also
reacted to the suspension of two national officers of the Yoruba
socio-political group, describing it as “null and void”.
TheCable had reported that Afenifere led by Ayo Adebanjo
suspended Jare Ajayi, the group’s national publicity secretary, and Abagun Kole
Omololu, national organising secretary.
The officers were suspended for issuing an “unauthorised
statement” against Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, chairman of the council of elders,
Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
The suspension of the duo was announced in a communiqué
released at the end of the Afenifere monthly general meeting, on Tuesday.
The former Afenifere leader said Ajayi and Omololu were
suspended for issuing a statement on behalf of Afenifere in which the
president-elect was congratulated.
“My attention has been drawn to the Communique purportedly
issued after a meeting that held on Tuesday, March 27, at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun
State. This statement is being issued because of the content of the said
document,” the statement reads.
“Section 2.02 of the
document claims that “the results of the lawful votes at the Presidential
election available to the Afenifere through credible sources confirm that Peter
Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, won the said election.
“Afenifere could not have asserted that someone, other than
the person declared by the body duly authorized by the Constitution and other
extant laws of the land, is the winner of the presidential election held on
February 25, 2023 in Nigeria.
“The body mandated to conduct elections in Nigeria, the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after the completion of this
year’s presidential election on February 25th, has declared the candidate of
All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as the winner of the
said election.
“Our national publicity secretary of Afenifere, Comrade Jare
Ajayi, issued a congratulatory message to the president-elect after he had been
issued a certificate of return by INEC.
“This was cited as an
“uncouth activity” by the communique mentioned above which further stated that
Abagun and Ajayi were suspended sine die pending further decisions after their
appearance before and recommendations by the disciplinary committee.
“Meaning that the two were pronounced guilty and
consequently sanctioned even before their appearance before a disciplinary
committee.
‘This type of position is alien to us in Afenifere which
does not conduct itself as an agent of the state let alone as an electoral
umpire.
“We accept the results of the elections at all levels as
declared by INEC until otherwise decided by competent courts in the land.
“At no time was any
of these officials reported to me as doing anything against what Afenifere
stands for or doing anything against the interests of our race, the Yoruba.
“Thus, at no time was I informed that they were queried,
warned, or sanctioned for conducting themselves in a manner contrary to what
Afenifere or the Yoruba stand for.
“Being an
organisation that believes in justice and fairness, being an organisation that
always maintains that those at the helms of affairs should follow the rule of
law, Afenifere, our organisation, cannot just wake up and pronounce some
officials removed and suspended without telling them what their offences are
and without giving them the opportunities to defend themselves.
“Such a step is not only against natural justice; it is also
in clear defiance of the law of the land. Afenifere believes in the rule of law
and in the fundamental rights of all, including the right to a fair hearing.
For these and other reasons, the purported removal and suspension are null and
void.”
Since the emergence of Adebanjo as the new leader of
Afenifere, the position of the socio-political group on national issues has
always been contrary to the stance of Fasoranti, the erstwhile leader of the
group.
While Afenifere endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party for
the presidential election, Fasoranti backed Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives
Congress (APC).
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