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Tag: Fasoranti

  • 2023: Fasoranti clarifies, says Adebanjo still Afenifere’s acting leader

    2023: Fasoranti clarifies, says Adebanjo still Afenifere’s acting leader

     

    The leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Reuben Fasoranti, has said that he was misinterpreted in the media on the issue between himself and the acting leader of the group, Ayo Adebanjo.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports Fasoranti said he never stopped Adebanjo from being the acting leader of the group.

    A crisis has hit the group as Pa Fasoranti on Sunday endorsed the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, while Adebanjo had earlier declared support for the candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, on behalf of the association.

    In a statement issued on Thursday through his Personal Assistant, Mr Adedapo Abiola, in Akure, Fasoranti said some section of the media’s report was untrue on the matter.

    The statement read, “It has come to Papa Reuben Fasonranti’s knowledge that some sections of the media, especially the social media, have been ascribing to him false statements designed to cause confusion and polarise Afenifere.

    “I have Papa’s permission to say that he has not said Chief Ayo Adebanjo is no longer the acting leader of Afenifere nor that all future Afenifere meetings should henceforth be held at his residence in Akure.

    “Papa’s main concern is the interest of the Yoruba in the complex political situation in Nigeria. It is also his concern that Afenifere should survive in dignity and remain a purveyor of the interest of the Yoruba race.”

  • Tinubu deserves to emerge as Nigeria’s president in 2023 – Fasoranti

    Tinubu deserves to emerge as Nigeria’s president in 2023 – Fasoranti

    Pa Reuben Fasoranti, elder statesman and former leader of Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has declared that National Leader of All Progressives Congress, APC Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has all what it takes to rule Nigeria.

    Pa Reuben Fasoranti told members of South West Agenda for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (SWAGA 23), who paid him a courtesy visit in his country home in Akure that the National Leader of APC deserves to be President in 2023.

    “Tinubu has all it takes to rule Nigeria. Considering his activities and track record, he deserves to be President, come 2023.

    “May his prayers be answered. When he gets there, he will do all we want,” he said.

    According to the Afenifere leader, with Tinubu as president, all the prayers of Afenifere for Nigeria will be answered, particularly on the issue of restructuring and federalism.

    Earlier, Prince Dayo Adeyeye the Chairman and Coordinator of SWAGA, said Yoruba must unite and speak with one voice, ahead of 2023 presidential race.

    He urged the Yoruba not to divide its house ahead of the presidential election.

    The former minister for works said that more than 50 traditional rulers across the six states of the South-West geopolitical zone had been visited for their royal blessings.

    He added that presidency would be zoned to the South in 2023, which could be any zone, hence the need to quickly start the movement for Yoruba to unite.

  • Ex-Afenifere leader, Pa Fasoranti backs Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition

    Ex-Afenifere leader, Pa Fasoranti backs Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition

    An Elder Statesman and former Leader of a socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, has expressed support for the presidential ambition of the APC National Leader, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

    Fasoranti stated this while receiving members of the South West Agenda for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (SWAGA 23), who paid him a courtesy visit in his country home in Akure.

    “Tinubu has all it takes to rule Nigeria. Considering his activities and track record, he deserves to be President, come 2023.

    “May his prayers be answered. When he gets there, he will do all we want,” he said.

    According to the Afenifere leader, with Tinubu as president, all the prayers of Afenifere for Nigeria will be answered, particularly on the issue of restructuring and federalism.

    Earlier, Prince Dayo Adeyeye the Chairman and Coordinator of SWAGA, said Yoruba must unite and speak with one voice, ahead of 2023 presidential race.

    He urged the Yoruba not to divide its house ahead of the presidential election.

    The former minister for works said that more than 50 traditional rulers across the six states of the South-West geopolitical zone had been visited for their royal blessings.

    He added that presidency would be zoned to the South in 2023, which could be any zone, hence the need to quickly start the movement for Yoruba to unite.

    “Tinubu has all it takes to rule the country, being a detribalised Nigerian who loves the masses and is blessed with enormous wisdom,” he said.

    Adeyeye however, stated that the team was not sent by Tinubu, but that it decided to take up the role, having found the former Lagos governor worthy because of his leadership quality.

  • Afenifere: Pa Fasoranti didn’t consult me before announcing that I take over from him – Adebanjo

    Afenifere: Pa Fasoranti didn’t consult me before announcing that I take over from him – Adebanjo

    Elder statesman, Chief Ayo Adebanjo has said he his not enthusiastic about his new role as the leader of Afenifere, Pan Yoruba Socio- Political Group.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Pa Reuben Fasoranti, 95 stepped down as leader of the group last week during the group’s monthly meeting in Akure, the Ondo state capital citing his old age. He later announced that his deputy, Chief Ayo Adebanjo take over in acting capacity.

    However, in his first official reaction since the announcement last Tuesday, Adebanjo said:

    “Well, I am not enthusiastic about it. The way my leader, Pa Fasoranti did it, he didn’t consult me. He only asked if I was coming to the meeting and I said I can’t come because of the danger on our roads. It is not that I didn’t like it but I think he should have looked for a younger person. He said he is old. He is 95 years and he is asking a 93-year old to step in. That’s all my reservation.

    As he said in his address at the meeting, nothing is going to happen outside what has been happening. We are only going to continue with the vigour. Traditionally, Afenifere has been governed and ruled through a collegiate system with the approval and consent of my leader, Pa Fasoranti.

    There is nothing I do that he didn’t approve. All the events, meetings and organisations I have been attending have his approval and consent. There is no change at all, except that we will continue in that trend,” Pa Adebanjo said in an interview with Tribune on Wednesday (today).

    Responding a question on why the group has always picked from the older generation to steer its affairs, Adebanjo said:

    “No, it’s not a question of appointing elderly people to the leadership position of Afenifere. I have tried to correct this impression severally. I intentionally mentioned earlier the question of youths. Where are the youths that can be appointed who have not been here, there and here again? Tell me? In fact, some of our members, who knew I could reject the appointment, asked me, “Baba, who would you suggest amongst us?” They are all competitors among themselves; they all claim to be equal. For instance, if Professor Banji Akintoye had not displayed what he did, he is bound to be there because he is younger. So when he came, I put him forward wherever we went; but he wanted to jump the queue. He formed the Yoruba Congress against our leader but everybody knows that the leader of Afenifere is the leader of the Yoruba nation. They are just deceiving themselves. We don’t argue that. He did cause a controversy within. Somehow he has repented but he is still carrying on. That’s our problem. So, when people say young men should take the lead, a lot of young men are opportunists. You can’t see traditional members of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in any party today I can tell you with the hindsight of young men, who joined us as the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), as the Alliance for Democracy (AD ) because they knew that if they didn’t join our party, they couldn’t win any election. But the moment they had difficulty in getting their ways, they bolted away and that’s responsible for where we are today. That’s why they have to go with the North. What is the relationship between Tinubu’s antecedent with Afenifere and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)? They are incompatible. I said it at a time that the alliance they have is a conglomeration of incompatibles. Look at what is happening now. They have nothing doing other than sharing of offices and the sharing of offices is what is tearing them into pieces now. All I am saying is not off record; it should be out in print.”

     

  • Five more suspects arrested in connection to Fasoranti daughter’s murder

    Five more suspects arrested in connection to Fasoranti daughter’s murder

    Operatives of the Force CID, SWAT, have arrested five more suspects in connection to the killing of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of former leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Funke Olakunrin was killed at Kajola on Ondo-Ore Road on 12 July 2019.

    Four suspects: Lawal Mazaje, Adamu Adamu, Mohammed Shehu Usman, and Auwal Abubakar were earlier arrested and are being prosecuted.

    They were arraigned on three count charges of conspiracy to kill, murder and kidnapping.

    Names of the five new suspects were given as Lawal Mazaje, 40, from Felele, Kogi State; Adamu Adamu, 50, from Jada in Adamawa State; Mohammed Usman, 26, from Illela, Sokoto State and Auwal Abubakar, 25, from Shinkafi , Zamfara State.

    The arrest of the five suspects was made known at the resumed hearing of the four suspects presided over by Justice Bode Adegbehingbe.

    Lead counsel for prosecution, Grace Olowoporoku, informed the court that the five suspects were arrested following the continuous mentioning of their names during investigation.

    Olowoporoku requested for a short adjournment to enable the prosecution conclude investigation on the new suspects.

    Justice Adegbehingbe adjourned the case to April 27, 29, 30 and May 5, 2021 for continuation of hearing.

  • Alleged lopsided appointments: Court announces date to hear Clark, Fasoranti, others N50bn suit against Buhari

    Alleged lopsided appointments: Court announces date to hear Clark, Fasoranti, others N50bn suit against Buhari

    The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday fixed October 2 for hearing of the N50bn suit filed by some southern and middle-belt leaders to challenge alleged lopsided appointments and marginalisation of the people of the regions by the President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Justice Okon Abang adjourned the case on Friday after realising that the defendants in the suit had yet to respond to the suit and are still within time to do so.

    The 16 plaintiffs, in the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/595/2020, and filed before the court on June 8, 2020, include Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark; Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti; President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr John Nwodo; and a leader of the Middle Belt people, Dr Pogu Bitrus.

    They also include Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Alaowei Bozimo, Mrs Sarah Doketri, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Prof Julie Umukoro, and Stephen Bangoji.

    The rest are Alhaji Tijani Babatunde, Mrs Rose Obuoforibo, Mr Adakole Ijogi and Dr Charles Nwakeaku.

    Joined as defendants in the suit are the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Buhari; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN); the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori; and the Federal Character Commission.

    The plaintiffs’ lawyer argued that “under the current first defendant’s (Buhari) administration which has been in power since May 29, 2015, several sensitive government positions and agencies are dominated by persons of the same ethnic and religious group, state and geographical zones.”

    They contended that the appointments to the positions of the country’s service chiefs were skewed in favour of northern Nigeria.

    They added that “other statutorily established Nigerian national security agencies or services are a clear violation of the federal character principle.”

    Apart from seeking an award of N50bn as damages for their constituents, they also urged the court to order President Buhari to reverse “the lopsided appointments complained about.”

    At the Friday’s proceedings, the plaintiffs were represented by their lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

    The defendants, represented by Tijani Gazali, M. J Ilyasu, and O. T Bodude, informed the judge that they were only served with the plaintiffs’ suit between June 22 and 23.

    They said they had yet to file their responses to the suit but were still within time to file them.

    Justice Abang adjourned the case till October 2 and ordered the defendants to file and serve their processes before the next hearing date.

  • COVID-19: ‘Police, army deployed as suspected murderer of Fasoranti’s daughter attempts to escape…’

    A murder suspect, Adamu Adamu, who is being treated for COVID-19 at the Ondo Infectious Disease Hospital almost escaped from the hospital but for eagle-eyed security personnel.

    Security has been beefed up at the hospital since the escape was foiled.

    Adamu, who was arrested in Edo State, was among the four suspects arrested in connection to the murder of Pa Fasoranti’s daughter, Mrs. Olufunke Olakunri.

    A visit to the hospital showed soldiers have been mobilised to support policemen on guard at the hospital.

    Doctors at the hospital confirmed that the suspect has made several attempts by deploying various tactics to escape from custody.

    Police sources said it was the timely intervention of its men that prevented the latest attempt to flee custody.

    Adamu was said to spend long hours in the toilet each time he took permission to use the facility.

    It was gathered that the little free movement granted the suspect inside the ward where COVID-19 patients are receiving treatment was stopped.

    Sources said he is being chained to his bed and closely monitored to the toilet.

    Ondo Police spokesman, ASP Tee-Leo Ikoro, said he would visit the hospital to ascertain situation of things.

    He said security has been beefed up at the hospital

  • Murder of Fasoranti’s daughter act of terrorism — Ex-president Jonathan

    Former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday paid a condolence visit to the leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti over the death of his daughter, Mrs Funke Olakunrin.
    Olakunrin was reportedly killed along Ore-Shagamu Expressway by some hoodlums suspected to be Fulani herdsmen last Friday.
    Speaking with journalists, Jonathan described the incident as a painful occurrence to the whole country. He also described the murder of Olakunrin as an act of terrorism. He called on the federal and state governments to be more proactive on the issue of insecurity in the country.
    He said, “Every generation of human being face problems and that generation must find ways of solving that problem. Every government faces some unique problems. Insecurity has been with us immediately after the civil war. That was the first time we experienced armed robbery in Lagos. From armed robbery, it graduated to kidnapping.
    “The first major kidnapping was described as commercial kidnapping because some money exchanged hands. This happened in 2006 when I was governor of Bayelsa State. From commercial kidnapping, it moved to terrorism in the north and now some kind of terrorist attacks are all over the country when people will just come out of the road and spray bullets on innocent people. That is a terrorist attack. You have no reason to attack somebody you don’t even know, that is terrorism.”
    While calling on the Federal Government to implement the report of the 2014 confab, Jonathan said some of the recommendations in the report dealt with the issue of security and the government should apply the recommendations.
    The former President stated, “In 2014 when I was president, we had a national conference where a number of things were discussed. The issues of security; state and regional police were discussed.
    “I always believe that if the government looks into that report; because it was not written by me, so we should not play politics with national issues. If we look into that report, there are recommendations.
    “A lot of things were discussed during the national conference organized during my time as president. The issue of security, state and community policing were discussed. I always believe that the government should look at that report, it was not written by me.
    “We should not play politics with a serious national issue. If we look at that report, there are recommendations that bother on security and if there is an area that needs to be expanded because I believe everyday new idea comes, it should be updated.
    “There is nothing wrong holding a specific meeting to look at the issue of security. I believe the federal and state governments need to have a new approach, deploy technology and have more money to protect our people.”
    He also charged the security operatives in the country to deploy technology to fight insecurity, saying there was a need for the Federal Government to set up a special unit that would specifically tackle insecurity in the country.
    “I was there as a President for some time, security challenges were there with me, I also inherited some. But it is getting worse every day. And we cannot continue to use the same old method, ” he charged.

  • Police arrest suspects linked with Funke Olakunrin’s murder

    The police have arrested some suspects allegedly involved in the killing of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of the Afenifere leader, Reuben Fasoranti.
    A spokesman for the Ondo State Police Command, Mr Femi Joseph, confirmed this on Monday.
    According to him, the suspects were arrested when a team of security operatives stormed the forests in the area near Ore in Ondo State.
    The command’s spokesman, however, did not disclose the identities of those arrested.
    He said investigations were still ongoing while suspects would be paraded as soon as possible.
    Mrs Olakunrin was killed by armed men on Friday last week while travelling along the Benin-Ore Expressway in south-western Nigeria.
    Her murder has sparked outrage from individuals and groups across the county, especially from leaders in the south-west region.
    Some of those who condemned the killing were former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, who decried the security situation in the country.
    But the Presidency has warned against politicising security and called on various leaders across the country to be mindful their language and its potential consequences.
    The arrest of the suspects was made public one day after the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, gave assurance that Olakunrin’s killers would be apprehended soon.
    Mr Adamu had directed the deployment of a team of security operatives from the Force Headquarters in Ondo to work with police command there and ensure that Olakunrin’s killers were arrested and brought to book.
    Those deployed in the state included operatives from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), and the Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU).

  • Fasoranti's Loss – Pretence of National Concern, By Ikeddy ISIGUZO

    By Ikeddy ISIGUZO
    The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. – Section 14 2b, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999
    I commiserate with the Fasoranti and Olakunrin families over the murder of their daughter, and wife, in broad daylight, in a space that is under legitimate authority of governments.
    Mourning of the departed is a private affair which only the families and close associates feel. The escalation of the death to media opportunities is unfortunate. The hypocrisy, pretence to grief, and concern about the departed show in trite statements from governments.
    How many Nigerians are gruesomely murdered daily? What have governments done about them? How would arresting the killers of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, neé Fasoranti, if ever it happens, atone for those deaths that have been waved aside as part of the values of being Nigerians?
    Lives are lost daily. Instead of meaningful government actions to secure Nigerians, we are lost in debates about ethnicity of the killers. It is our admission that some are above the law, and can live as they please. Should they?
    Talks all over the country are about different Nigerian communities defending themselves. Do we recognise the chaos unconcerned governments are nurturing?
    Can we spare a moment for the present? Why does a country with daily avoidable deaths delight in scrambles for who becomes President in 2023 and beyond? Is the present important?
    Do lives of ordinary Nigerians matter? Why do we romanticise crimes? What use are flowery condolences when governments address insecurity with only words? Why are governments not uncomfortable with the spread of insecurity?
    Daily we lose our humanity. The deaths are now mere statistics. They no longer evoke outrage. The Nigerian day is incomplete without such deaths.
    As Nigeria heads from one chaos to another, it is unfortunately obvious that governments acquiesce to the situation. Where they deem it appropriate, they issue condolence messages or visit the mourning families.
    Were Mrs. Olakunrin to be of certain families, her death would have passed like those of others whose lives are terminated on Nigeria’s highways, farms, homes, just anywhere, under similar circumstances. Their deaths do not provoke the Inspector General of Police to promise arrest of the criminals.
    Local and national interests in lives now depend on whose lives are involved. Certain lives are unimportant, in the same way certain criminals are important. It is a sad reality of Nigeria.
    Mrs. Olakunrin’s death – in case we are still in doubt – is a reminder that nobody is safe, nobody is above the expansive reaches of criminals. Will governments act differently from now?
    Will Nigerians bury divisive tendencies and hold our governments accountable?
    Are security and welfare of the people still the primary purpose of government?
    May the Almighty rest Mrs. Olakunrin. May the Almighty console her families.