The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, on Tuesday dismissed reports claiming it had endorsed a coalition movement formed by a group of political parties in Nigeria.
The organisation issued the clarification after reports emerged that a delegation had visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Abeokuta residence in Ogun State over the weekend.
In a statement from its national publicity secretary, Jare Ajayi, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Afenifere said it had neither sent any delegation to Obasanjo in recent times nor made any of the statements attributed to it.
Reports had indicated that a coalition of opposition parties had adopted the African Democratic Congress as their platform for the 2027 general elections.
Ajayi noted that those who met with Obasanjo were individuals who had played key roles in the push to make Peter Obi president during the 2023 election.
Afenifere said, “We are not denying the fact that at least two of the people in the delegation are notable Afenifere chieftains. They are Sola Ebiseni and Akin Osuntokun.
“But it is on record that Osuntokun was the person who took over as Campaign Director of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign Council when late Doyin Okupe resigned from that position.
“Ebiseni was the South-West Coordinator of the same council,” the organisation explained.
The national publicity secretary added that what further underscores the fact that the visit was not that of Afenifere was the presence of coordinators of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign Council who are not in Afenifere.
“They were John Ughulu and Folaseye Adabayo, Lagos State Coordinator and Secretary, respectively, of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign Council.
“The principal, Obi, has been reported to be in the ADC Coalition presently. It is therefore logical that his supporters would be justifying the coalition.
“Afenifere is not against any political group. But it is not in cahoots with any political party since it is non-partisan politically. Afenifere is for all the Yorubas. As we all know, not all Yoruba people are in politics.
“Even those who are in politics do not necessarily belong to the same political party. As such, Afenifere can not afford to be politically partisan.
“But since it has a political view, it can support a (socio-political) standpoint that aligns with its own position at any given time,” the statement stated
Ajayi said this was why the organisation remained committed to supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to restore and reposition the country for the benefit of all Nigerians.
He added that discussions about forming or not forming a coalition were unnecessary distractions the group could not afford.