Acting Leader of the South-west renowned socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has warned Nigerians against voting for the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the 2023 presidential poll, saying they would suffer if they made such a mistake.
Speaking on ARISE News Channel, Adebanjo said, at 94, he might not be alive to witness it but was certain Nigerians would live to suffer if they voted for any presidential candidate other than Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
Adebanjo’s advice came in the wake of the seeming fraction in Afenifere, after Chief Reuben Fasoranti, a former leader of the group, and other prominent Yoruba leaders, reportedly endorsed Tinubu ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
“As you can see, the trend, the approval and the acceptability. You could see what happened when Tinubu came to meet me in Akure. The media carried the whole thing. Adebanjo does not have the capacity to warn me not to welcome Tinubu. Can he do that successfully?
“What happened was that Adebanjo took a stand and I took a stand. I didn’t call him and he didn’t call me. We never spoke about the visit. As you saw yesterday, it goes without saying that Jagaban was accepted. Obi has no stand in our mind at all,” Faroranti had said.
But Adebanjo, while reacting, faulted Fasoranti’s statement, saying they were waiting to see, who would attend any Afenifere meeting in Akure, Pa Fasoranti’s hometown.
“No problem. Let them hold the meetings in Akure and see the number of people that will attend. I am the leader of Afenifere. They are just trying to cause confusion and I won’t help them to do that. If he says people should not come,” Adebanjo said.
However, reacting to the interview, a concerned Nigerian @Icebabio on Twitter wrote: “Mehn, Pa Adebanjo made me shed a tear. Pls Nigerians vote wisely. He says you all will suffer if you choose wrong while I enjoy in the grave. At 94, I have nothing to lose. Pls, Northerners and southerners, I beg you, don’t sell ur conscience for pottage.
Another Tweep, @Strong Truth, wrote, “Pa Adebanjo makes me so proud to be a Yoruba man, I pray Obi emerge as the president of Nigeria come 2023. God bless you sir for speaking the truth to Nigeria.”
Also, @Yufsci, tweeted, “Pa Adebanjo at 94 is the only sensitive and sensible living Yoruba, all others are just foolish bigot. I go survive if Batiku becomes president. My problem is just d rebirth of new euphoria in Nigeria politics will be postponed, where we choose the best over religion and ethnicity.”
[ThisDay]
