Prof Akinyemi Onigbinde on Afenifere
No one will begrugde people gathering in anyone’s residence for whatever purpose.But it is fraudulent to issue a communique under a name different from the one in which auspices the meeting was called. You and Kole Omololu signed the letter inviting people to the Akure meeting in the name of ‘Conscience of Yoruba Name’.At the end of the day, it was essentially a gathering of chieftains of APC in the South West.Yet, many at that Sunday meeting that can claim some linkage with Afenifere had not attended any Afenifere meeting in the last 10 years,while some in the last three years.Even, you, Dare Babarinsa, the last time you were sighted at any Afenifere meeting was some 4 months ago, and that was more than ten years when it could be said you were seen at an Afenifere meeting, not even in Akure before you suddenly discovered Fasoranti is ‘leader’.A supposed meeting of Afenifere could not even attract the attendance of Chief Dayo Duyile, Afenifere chairman in Ondo state, and Barr.Sola Ebiseni, the National General Secretary of Afenifere, both of whom live in Akure
As usual, the current treachery shall not last, as this is not the first time Bola Tinubu would try to subvert Afenifere. He did it with Ayo Fasanmi agaisnt Reuben Fasonrati, it didn’t fly, he tried Biyi Durojaye, no one even remembered that he and one Oluwa were ever part of Afenifere leadership history. We only wonder why the conveners of ‘Afenifere’ meeting, for an endorsement of their sponsor’s presidential ambition, couldn’t seek the blessing of ‘Afenifere Renewal Group’, another of Tinubu’s many attempts to clone Afenifere, and appropriate its rich legacy
Afenifere members has a lot of respect for Pa Reuben Fasonranti,and he remains Afenifere leader emeritus, even if some people would prefer to disturb his peace for their own individual political ambition and pecuniary benefits.Otherwise, why drag a gentleman at age 96 who, at age 94, considered himself too old, and not in good health to continue to provide leadership for an organization he has led for some 15 years, to now assume a very difficult task of running Afenifere when, indeed, younger elements are tinkering on ways to relieve the incumbent Acting leader of such responsibility for a younger person.
History is stubborn, it will remember roles of each and everyone connected with perfidy, before, now, whenever it is played out in the affairs of our common patrimony
Chief Segun Osoba On Pa Ayo Adebanjo
Former Governor of Ogun State and Akinrogun of Egbaland, Chief Olusegun Osoba has lambasted one of the leaders of a faction of Pan-Yoruba socio-polical group, Pa Ayo Adebanjo describing him as an inconsistent leader in the progressive camp.
Osoba berated the Afenifere leader because of his stance against his person and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“He has always been antagonistic to anybody who rose to governance within the progressives’ family. He was antagonistic to the UPN governors when they reached out to the PRP governors in the Second Republic. He led the crusade against the governors and told Awolowo that the UPN governors had sold out.
When Papa (Awolowo) got exasperated he called a meeting of the UPN leaders at Eko Hotel. I recalled Chief Onabanjo speaking on behalf of the governors and telling Chief Awolowo that “all the people shouting are not more loyal to you than we are, that if the party must win at the federal level, the party must relate with others outside Western Region”.
“At the end, Chief Awolowo said the governors should continue with their association but they should report regularly to the National Executive Committee of the party. They then expanded their association to 12 governors. That was the group that led Awolowo into signing an agreement with Dr Azikiwe in Benin ahead of the 1983 presidential election which Awolowo actually won. Their reaching out was very helpful. It was that same progressive association that helped us when we moved to the Third Republic SDP that produced the late Chief MKO Abiola as presidential candidate.
My argument is that Adebanjo has never been comfortable with any governor either in UPN or in AD. That is what is manifesting now in his attack on Asiwaju Tinubu, Chief Akande and Niyi Adebayo who walked out on them in 2003. He bragged that he made us governors.
Who among us did not have political experience before we became governors in 1999? Lam Adesina as Oyo governor was, as far back as 1979, a House of Reps member in the National Assembly dominated by the late Chief Abraham Adesanya and co.The late Chief Adefarati as Ondo governor was a Commissioner under Ajasin. Akande in Osun was deputy to the late Chief Bola Ige as old Oyo governor. So he is making a cheap statement by saying we are not consistent.
The point is that Adebanjo has never contested any election. I challenge him to test his popularity. He should pick anywhere in Ogun, let the two of us walk around. There is no village in Ogun State that I will not call out three or four families.
For example, in his dictatorial way, he says he has now zoned the presidency to the Igbo. Who is he to zone the Yoruba race out of the 2023 presidential race?
Where did we meet as Yoruba? Awolowo will not behave like that. There will be a meeting where there will be consensus. Of course the Igbo have the right to contest in 2023 just as I as a Yoruba man also have the right to contest.
Only Ayo Adebanjo understands his interpretation of consistency. Here is a man who, when we were rigged out, was the first to jump on the PDP vehicle of Gbenga Daniel in Ogun State. Till tomorrow, he is the godfather of Gbenga Daniel. He moved from Gbenga Daniel to Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo under the Labour Party. And he went to pronounce Mimiko as the greatest of those executing Awolowo’s philosophy, that Mimiko’s free education was the best.
“He moved from there to PDP in Osun to praise Olagunsoye Oyinlola and today he is with PDP’s Seyi Makinde in Oyo.
That is his interpretation of consistency. He said we sold out to Fulani. When he campaigned for former VP Atiku for presidency, he forgot that Atiku is a Fulani man too.
When they hobnobbed with former President Jonathan, that is consistency. Awolowo will never jump from one party to another. And Awolowo, if alive, would never hobnob with PDP…”
