Grand Council of Yoruba Youths has alleged leader of pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, is promoting People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, and not Peter Obi, of Labour Party.
The youth made the allegation in a statement after Adebanjo reiterated his support for Obi.
“Peter Obi is the person of Igbo extraction that Afenifere has decided to support. He is the man we trust to restructure the country back to federalism on assumption of office.
“To keep Nigeria one, everyone should be Obi-Datti compliant,” Adebanjo had said.
However, the council alleged the Afenifere leader was deceiving Obi to favour Atiku.
It claimed Adebanjo was a factional leader and should not be taken seriously.
The statement reads: “Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s Afenifere endorsed former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, 2015, and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2019, both of who were then presidential candidates of PDP, but now smartly claiming it had shifted its loyalty from PDP candidates to Mr Peter Gregory Obi, presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) ahead of 2023 election.
“But the two remaining Afenifere in Yorubaland, both of which are progressive, are behind… APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The group said there were three Afenifere factions.
“Chief Reuben Fasoranti’s (now Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s) minority Afenifere, which endorsed former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and three PDP governorship candidates in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo (Seyi Makinde, now Governor Seyi Makinde) ahead of 2019 presidential and goverorship elections.
‘’The late Senator Ayo Fasanmi’s (headed by Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi after the death of its two past leaders, including Senator Biyi Durojaiye)
“Majority Afenifere, this is the noble platform that blessed the 2019 aspirations of President Muhammadu Buhari, and three APC governorship candidates in Lagos, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun; Prince Dapo Abiodun, and Oyo; Chief Bayo Adelabu.
“The third, Wale Osu-led Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) was involved in the Afenifere Majority endorsement of APC candidates because they are always forthcoming in the decision-making of core progressives in Yorubaland.
“The interpretation of the above is that since 2011, PDP candidates always get the minority Afenifere endorsement while APC candidates get majority Afenifere endorsement.”