The rift within the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has widened as the faction loyal to the late Chief Ayo Adebanjo ruled out any possibility of reuniting with the Chief Reuben Fasoranti-led camp. The division, which became more pronounced during the 2023 general elections, remains unresolved even after Adebanjo’s passing.
Afenifere split into two camps when Adebanjo backed Labour Party’s Peter Obi for the presidency, citing fairness and equity, while Fasoranti and his supporters threw their weight behind President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This difference in political alignment created lasting tensions between the two factions.
On Tuesday, the Adebanjo group named Oba Olaitan Oladipo as the new leader of Afenifere, replacing the late Adebanjo. However, this move was met with rejection from the Fasoranti-led faction, which insists that Chief Fasoranti remains the only recognized leader of the organization.
Speaking on Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the Adebanjo camp, Justice Faloye, dismissed any possibility of uniting with Fasoranti’s group. He noted that Afenifere had already transitioned smoothly under its new leadership and did not recognize any factions within the organization.
“We don’t recognise any factions. Baba Fasoranti is a retired leader. The fact that he chose to align with others against the principles he set before retirement does not make it a faction. Afenifere is bigger than personalities and election cycles,” Faloye said.
He also argued that the push for unity was a political strategy to silence Afenifere’s stance against bad governance, especially as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections. According to him, Afenifere is an ideological movement, not a platform for personal interests.
However, the Fasoranti-led faction strongly rejected the Adebanjo group’s leadership declaration. The National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, and the National Organizing Secretary, Abagun Omololu, both stated that Chief Fasoranti remains the legitimate leader of Afenifere. They criticized the appointment of Oba Olaitan Oladipo, calling it “alien to Afenifere’s tradition.”
Ajayi noted, “It is a known fact that the National Leader of Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, is still very much around. He is not only hale and hearty, but he is also providing requisite leadership—to the glory of God. In a situation where there is no vacuum, how do you talk of filling a vacancy that does not exist?”
He added that the group was still focused on mourning Adebanjo and giving him a befitting burial rather than engaging in leadership disputes.
Omololu also condemned the actions of the Adebanjo faction, stating that it was disrespectful to Yoruba culture. He accused them of using the moment for personal political gain, especially with the 2027 elections on the horizon.
“Our leader, Papa Reuben Fasoranti, has lost one of his lieutenants, Chief Adebanjo, and he is grieving. It is sacrilegious and against Yoruba culture for some opportunists to be jostling for power while the deceased has yet to be laid to rest,” he said.
He further insisted that Afenifere remains a united group under Fasoranti’s leadership and that any attempt to form a separate faction was merely a political maneuver.
