- Say there’s only one Afenifere led by Pa Reuben Fasoranti
- Stop tarnishing Afenifere’s image
The Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organization, YAYON, has dissociated the umbrella Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, from the scandal rocking the Labour Party, LP.
It distanced the foremost group in Yorubaland from some Afenifere chieftains who worked for the LP during the last general election.
YAYON dissociated the parent body, Afenifere, from the alleged fraud perpetrated by some people it claimed were hiding under the national group’s banner in connivance with others in the Labour Party.
It declared that there is only one Afenifere led by the revered elder-statesman and the Second Republic Commissioner for Finance in the civilian administration of the departed legendary Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin, Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, OFR.
In a statement by the President of Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organization (YAYON), Comrade Eric Oluwole, the group said:
“The attention of Yoruba Afenifere Youths Organisation has been drawn to the text of a media briefing by the Labour Party National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Abayomi Arabambi, detailing how some Afenifere chieftains allegedly connived with that party’s candidate in the last Presidential Election to mismanage and defraud the party of over N12 billion and $15 million donations.
The media briefing which was held on September 11, 2024, detailed how the LP candidate in the last Presidential Election, Mr. Peter Obi allegedly used Aisha Yusufu, Itua Ighodalo, and the alleged Afenifere chieftains among others, “to defraud Labour Party”.
According to the media briefing, the individuals above allegedly “mismanaged, diverted and failed to account or provide (an) audited account for over 12 billion Naira and $15 million in donations to Labour Party.”
Arabambi further alleged that the said Afenifere chieftains and “factions of their own Afenifere were also culpable as they committed financial infractions of over 600m Naira which they retain in their private account and that of Afenifere Accounts in General.”
Oluwole said: “While we appreciate the Labour Party National Working Committee led by Bar Julius Abure as National Chairman and Alh Farouk Umar Ibrahim as National Secretary, for exposing the fraud allegedly perpetrated by the so-called chieftains parading themselves as Afenifere, and while we do not wish to dabble into that party’s internal affairs, we wish to declare unequivocally and state as follows that:
– We dissociate Afenifere as a name from the shameless fraud and embarrassment perpetrated by an alleged Afenifere group hiding under the main Afenifere hard-earned credibility, name, logo, and identity, as revealed in the media briefing.
– No amount of money was paid by the named persons or any other associates of the Labour Party into the main Afenifere bank account as claimed in the media briefing.
– We have only one Afenifere led by the revered Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, OFR.
– Our Leader is highly respected in Yorubaland and across Nigeria as a contented and celebrated manager of human and material resources, who has never been, and will never be associated with greed or graft, not to talk of any semblance of the shameless fraud of the magnitude allegedly perpetrated by a so-called Afenifere leader, as revealed in the media briefing.
– Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, OFR, the Afenifere Leader is an elder-statesman without stain, and a celebrated exemplar in modesty, humility, courage, patriotism, leadership, and governance. He is an unrepentant advocate of a new Nigeria where all the component ethnic groups will co-exist harmoniously in a balanced federation where true justice reigns.
– Our Leader, Pa Fasoranti served diligently as the pioneer Commissioner for Finance in the old Ondo State in the Second Republic administration of the departed exemplary Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin.
– He credibly and uniquely managed state resources that enabled the Ajasin administration to execute remarkable achievements, the record of which has not been beaten, and will be difficult to beat by successive administrations not only in Ondo State but across all the 36 states of the Federation. That administration was widely celebrated across Nigeria as a model worthy of emulation.
– it is, therefore, erroneous to associate Afenifere, the foremost group in Yorubaland that has for long been at the forefront of the struggle for a better Nigeria in a balanced federation, where all the composite ethnic groups will live harmoniously together in an atmosphere of equity, fairness, true justice, and love, with fraud.
– Afenifere has never for once supported the Labour Party, either openly or discreetly. Still, some people who thought that using the highly respected name of Afenifere could provide food for them on their table are parading themselves desperately under the Afenifere banner to perpetrate shameful atrocities.
– it is worth repeating here that Afenifere, in pursuit of its famed Yoruba Agenda, supported the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR., in the last Presidential Election.
– Afenifere does not regret supporting Asiwaju Tinubu for the Presidency. We know that he will certainly heed our leader’s golden advice on how to successfully run the affairs of our great Country Nigeria to the benefit of all, and there is hope that everything will be better.
– We recall that Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, OFR, publicly laid his hands on President Tinubu’s head in the blessing of his Presidential aspiration when he visited our revered Leader in his Akure home during the campaign. This was widely reported by the media worldwide.
– On the other hand, some Afenifere chieftains supported, and campaigned for Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate in the last Presidential Election. This fact was also published and aired robustly in the media.
– We state clearly that the so-called chieftains of Afenifere indicted in the LP scandal have derailed from Afenifere tradition and principles.
– Whosoever worked with the Labour Party during the last general election using the name of Afenifere to gather about N600 million according to the statement, should be prosecuted according to the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Oluwole said: “We are surprised that since the LP levelled the fraud allegation against them, the said Afenifere leaders have not come to the public to denounce it or clear their names, which implies that the LP was correct.
“We thought we would not have been bothered about the news in the media, but the news has generated lots of comments and calls, stressing the need for us to address the issue, because Afenifere as Yoruba Umbrella Organization belongs to every Yoruba person.’
“Therefore, we challenge the said Afenifere chieftains mentioned in the scandal, to come out and defend themselves if truly they have not defrauded the LP according to that party’s press release, or they should face the consequences, because the name Afenifere belongs to all of us, especially we the younger generation.”
