The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress on Saturday said the acting Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, cannot turn the organisation into his personal franchise for political alliance.
This was made known in a statement signed by the Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga.
The statement titled, “Our reaction to Baba Ayo Adebanjo and his new Ohanifere venture”, was in reaction to Chief Adebanjo’s earlier position to adopt and support Peter Obi of the Labour Party as the preferred presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.
According to Onanuga, Adebanjo had used the platform of the apex socio-cultural organisation in Yoruba land to express his personal interests and had not made a good representation of the interest of the group.
“Papa Ayo Adebanjo does not speak for Afenifere. He is free as an individual to support anyone he likes, in furtherance of his democratic right.
“We know for a fact that Baba has turned Afenifere into his personal estate as Acting Leader. We are also certain that there was nowhere Afenifere, as we know it, met and took a decision to adopt Mr. Peter Obi as a candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
“We are very much aware that Baba Reuben Fasoranti, the real leader of Afenifere, has stated clearly that Pa Adebanjo has always been speaking for himself on many national issues using the name of the group”, he said.
Furthermore, he added, “It is our well considered position that Pa Adebanjo cannot appropriate Afenifere. Baba is just an individual who is free to support any politician of his choice. As an individual, he cannot equate himself with the socio-cultural and socio-political organisation.
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