A national leader of the Yoruba, socio-cultural and political
organization, the Afenifere, Senator Ayo Fasanmi has condemned the
Reuben Fasoranti-led faction of the group for its persistent
criticism of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government and not
seeing anything good in the administration.
Fasoranti noted that the Yoruba race had benefited from the Buhari-led
government in terms of key appointments, influence and execution of key projects.
The senior citizen also condemned the
suspension of former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Otunba Iyiola Omisore by the Reuben Fasoranti-led faction for working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last governorship election in Osun
state won by the APC saying it was laughable for the Fasoranti-led faction to slam suspension on Omisore.
He described Omisore’s purported suspension as “the most embarrassing action taken by anyone or group since the death of the late sage, ” Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
In statement on Wednesday by the Publicity Secretary of the group in Ekiti, Chief Biodun Akin-Fasae, Fasanmi berated the Fasoranti group for speaking for the Yoruba race, saying it lacked the moral rectitude to do so having allegedly derailed from the progressive ideology of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The nationalist is believed to be the oldest survivor of the Chief Obafemi Awolowo political legacy.
Fasanmi said it was disappointing for anyone to “desecrate the hallowed name of Awolowo with conservative political tendency as being espoused by the Fasoranti and Ayo Adebanjo group.”
While regretting that the Fasoranti-led group had “crossed the
redline” with its action, Fasanmi stressed that the spirit of Awolowo
will never forgive whoever must have taken steps to bastardize the
legacies he fought for all his life.
Fasanmi said: “The Fasoranti/Adebanjo group must henceforth stop
talking on behalf of the Yoruba race because they have derailed. I am
warning them that they should not put the Yoruba race on sale.
“The Yoruba race is comfortable with the progressives as being
represented by the All Progressives Congress (APC), where the Yoruba
is having the chunk of appointments.
“This has never happened even when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was
President. I wonder what Fasoranti and his group wanted by their
anti-Buhari posture except they want to tell us they are now against
Chief Awolowo’s legacies which all Yorubas are still proud to
associate with.
“Anyway, many of those working for PDP within Afenifere never stood
for any election all through their political life.”
Pa Fasanmi, however, congratulated Omisore and former Minister of
State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, on their return to the
progressives fold whishing them well in their future endeavours.