The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has debunked reports that it has endorsed Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as its preferred aspirant for the 2023 presidential election.
The rebuttal was made in a statement signed by Sola Lawal, Afenifere’s Director of Communications, on Wednesday, following comments made by Dayo Adeyeye, the leader of the South-West Agenda, concerning the purported endorsement.
Adeyeye had in a statement on Tuesday claimed that his group secured the support of Afenifere for its candidate during a visit to Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the immediate past Afenifere leader.
But reacting, Afenifere said it did not endorse Tinubu or any other aspirant for the 2023 presidency, noting that is still mourning the demise of Yinka Odumakin, its Publicity Secretary, in whose honour the group suspended all engagements.
Afenifere also stated that the 96-year-old Fasoranti has taken a “deserved rest when he formally handed over to Chief Ayo Adebanjo three weeks ago after leading the group for 12 years and so the former couldn’t have spoken for Afenifere during the SWAGA visit to his Akure home”.
It noted that it has “temporarily halted all activities in honour of Odumakin who is still lying in the morgue, cold and lonely.
“The Adeyeye foray into Afenifere space at this period of huge loss and intense mourning is disrespectful, insensitive and unwarranted.
“Being a former Afenifere top notch and, infact, Odumakin’s immediate predecessor in office as spokesperson for Afenifere, Adeyeye should cease all activities and join us in mourning at this trying times,” the statement read.
