I am still the leader of Afenifere, frontline educationist and Second Republic Finance Commissioner in Ondo State Pa Reuben Fashoranti declared yesterday.
He clarified that the pan socio-political group has not endorsed Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, stressing that Afenifere chieftains only endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
To the nonagenarian, the endorsement of Tinubu by respected chieftains of the group in Akure was valid.
The Afenifere leader insisted that the organization never endorsed Obi.
In a viral video, 97-year old Fasoranti displyaed his sound mental alertness about events in Afenifere
He said: “I am still the leader of Afenifere. Afenifere has not endorsed Obi. We are endorsing Jagaban (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) for the presidency.
“As you can see, the trend, the approval and the acceptability. You could see what happened when Tinubu came to meet me Akure. 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 can see, Jagaban is accepted and we approve of him. Obi has no stand in our mind at all.”
Also, a group Yoruba Ronu, and the APC in Canada described Tinubu endorsement by Afenifere as a symbol of unity for the Yoruba race.
It said Fasoranti has displayed dogged determination in the pursuit of unity and the actualisation of Tinubu’s presidency in 2023.
The Chairman, Prince Diran Iyantan, in a statement in Akure, said Fasoranti believed that the aspirations and wishes of Yoruba should take pre-eminence at all times.
He said: “This singular action of the leadership of the Afenifere has deepened the sense of the average Yoruba man on the unity of the Yoruba race. Pa Fasoranti’s action has renewed our hope in the existence of the common interest of the Yorubas for a better tomorrow for the Yorubas and for all Nigerians.
“We believe in Tinubu’s capacity to unite our nation and bring about rapid development.”
Media Director of the APC, Canada chapter, Dr. Abiola Oshodi, described Fasoranti as a link between the past and the present.
He said Fasoranti’s prayer for Tinubu was the passing of the torch of all the political assets to Tinubu.
Oshodi added: “BAT is now more invigorated, more energized, more refreshed for the presidential election and governance.
“The march is on, the Presidency battle will be won by BAT. Success is sure with the annointing by Pa Fasoranti.”