Youths of the pan Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, under the aegis of the Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organisation of Nigeria (YAYON), have on Tuesday taken to the streets of Akure, the Ondo State capital to protest against the acting leader of the body, Pa Ayo Adebanjo.
The youths called on Adebanjo to step down from his position as acting leader of the group.
OsunDaily News reports that the call for Adebanjo to step down is the latest development of the crisis rocking the Yoruba group since the 2023 general election.
The protesters were said to have stormed the Akure residence of the leader of the group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, urging him to wade in and rescue Afenifere from the rocking it.
This platform gathered from The Nation that protesters were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Pa Fasonranti, please rescue Afenifere,” Ayo Adebanjo must go,” “Revoke the mandate you gave to Adebanjo.” “Adebanjo, time to step aside,” amongst others.
According to the Leader of the protesters, Comrade Eric Oluwole, an ultimatum would soon be issued to Adebanjo to step down.
He submitted that: “We want to create this strong awareness to the Yoruba Nation that the vote of no confidence on Pa Adebanjo still stands. We cannot allow one leader to jeopardise out future.
“We called on Adebanjo to step down. Baba only wrote him a letter to step in as Afenifere’s Acting Leader. He should step down. We are part of Afenifere.
“We need sanity within Afenifere. He mentioned that Fasoranti cannot talk to but we believe that we the youths can talk to him.
“Afenifere is passing through an internal crisis. Adebanjo sanctioned two National Officers because they made statements in the papers.
“Adebanjo is using political inner mind to cause crisis. He cannot suspend National Officers without reference to Baba.”
In his response, Pa Fasonranti, who spoke through his Chief Security Officer, Sunday Ogunkalu, call for calm amongst the protesters and assured them that their grievances would be looked into.
The pan Yoruba group entered into this lingering crisis before the 2023 general election when Adebanjo declared support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and Fasoranti blessed the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
