Afenifere: Fasoranti faults suspension of exco members in aftermath of Tinubu’s victory

Reuben Fasoranti, the leader of the pan-Yoruba sociopolitical organization Afenifere, on Wednesday distanced himself from the stance adopted at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State, regarding the election of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as president-elect, claiming that this was not the Afenifere way.

Also, he ruled that Messrs. Kole Omololu and Jare Ajayi’s expulsion and suspension from their positions as Afenifere officials were invalid.

Both Ajayi and Omololu were sacked for allegedly issuing unauthorised statements and constant denigration of the organisation.

This was contained in the communiqué signed by its leader and Secretary General, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Sola Ebiseni, respectively, after its monthly meeting, held at Isanya Ogbo in Ogun State.

However, in a statement that he personally signed, Fasoranti claimed that Afenifere, as a law-abiding organization, could not have claimed that anyone won other than the candidate officially declared victor of the February 25, 2023, presidential election by the body duly authorized by the Constitution and other applicable laws.

Fasoranti said, “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.

“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.

READ ALSO:Afenifere suspends two officers for unauthorised statements, insists Obi won election

“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 Bola Tinubu as the winner of the said election. Our National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, 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 communiqué 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’. It means that the two were pronounced guilty and consequently sanctioned even before their appearance before a Disciplinary Committee.

“That is not the Afenifere way. A General Meeting does not have the power to convene and take such a far-reaching decision just at the whims of individuals.

On the presidential election, he said: “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.

“Presently, the whole world knows that Nigeria has a President-elect in the person of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a true Yoruba son and nationalist. We in Afenifere not only acknowledge this, but we also take delight in his in-coming Presidency and are confident that he will, by the grace of God, return Nigeria to the glorious position that all of us will be proud of.”

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