Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba mouthpiece, on Tuesday announced its plan to float a political party ahead of the 2023 elections. Daily Trust on Sunday reports that the quest is generating more knocks than kudos for the socio-cultural and political organisation.
Over 70 years ago, Afenifere was formed as a socio-cultural organisation for the Yoruba people of Nigeria, with Chief Abraham Adesanya as its leader and Chief Bola Ige, also late, as deputy leader.
Other founding members were Pa Onasanya, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Adegbonmire, Okurounmu Femi, Ganiyu Dawodu, Olanihun Ajayi, Olu Falae, Adebayo Adefarati, Alhaji Adeyemo and Ayo Adebanjo.
The ethnic organisation was never a registered political party, but it was said to be the propelling movement of people behind the Action Group that was registered.
Besides, when the Alliance for Democracy (AD) was formed in 1998, it took the Afenifere agenda as its official manifesto. And notably, Afenifere has been known to show partisanship during elections by adopting the candidate of a political party since 1999.
During the 2015 elections, the leadership of Afenifere endorsed former President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid in a presidential election, which he lost to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The decision was taken in Akure, Ondo State, after a 90-minute meeting attended by Jonathan at the residence of the group’s former leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti.
In the 2019 polls, Afenifere threw its weight behind the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
They endorsed Atiku, alongside five socio-cultural groups, including the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and Middle Belt Forum (MBF).
The Yoruba ethnic mouthpiece remains one of the regional groups that have been holding President Buhari’s feet to the fire in the last seven years.
Top on its demands are restructuring, which it insists is achievable before the 2023 elections; equitable distribution of appointments, security and fight against corruption.
However, last month, the organisation, at its annual general meeting held at the country home of the acting leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo in Sanya Ogbo, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, hinted at floating a political party ahead of the 2023 elections.
Adebanjo disclosed this when he spoke with newsmen after the meeting, which saw leaders and members of Afenifere from all the states in Yoruba land, as well as Delta, Kwara and Kogi.
Adebanjo said that in 2023, the body would not support any candidate as it is ready to form its own political party.
He said the organisation was not convinced to participate in the coming elections unless the constitution is reviewed and the country restructured.
“We are still going to take a decision on whether we will take part or not. But we are forming a political party. We are not supporting anybody,” he said.
But findings by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed that some individuals at the meeting opposed the idea of floating a political party.
The opponents of the plan, it was gathered, submitted that for Afenifere to remain the “true voice” of the Yoruba, forming a political party should not be encouraged.
“No consensus was reached at the meeting. Baba (Adebanjo) respected the views of all the individuals,” our source said.
The meeting was attended by leaders of the group, including a former governor of Kwara State, Chief Cornelius Adebayo; former deputy governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofo Bucknor-Akerele; Senator Femi Okunrounmu; Chief Supo Sonibare; the secretary-general, Chief Sola Ebiseni; Senator Femi Lanlehin and Jumoke Ajasin-Anifowose, among others.
But the development has been generating more knocks than kudos for Afenifere’s leadership.
A political scientist, Dr Gbade Ojo, described the development as bad news for Afenifere and the Yoruba, saying floating a political party may signal an end to the organisation.
Speaking with Daily Trust on Sunday, Ojo said, “The socio-cultural organisation is respected as a voice of the voiceless in Yoruba land, so for them to go into the murky waters of politics this time around may signal their end. This is because, in the first place, they don’t have the resources to finance a political party. And I will be surprised if the Independent Electoral Commission registers such party.
“The provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is that an association should have a national spread. Afenifere is for the Yoruba alone. It cannot be the voice for the Igbo, neither can it be the voice for the Hausa/Fulani.
“So for me as a political scientist, it will be difficult for the organisation to fulfill constitutional requirements to be registered as a political party.”
But the executive director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said Afenifere leaders had the right to form a political party, but said Nigerians would demand a party with broad mind, inclusiveness and without ethnic colouration.
“I think they are looking for more progressive, ideologically-oriented political parties that can come with programmes that would help to lift them out of poverty, ensure diversification of the economy, inclusiveness; transparency and accountability keyed into governance.
“I think those are the things Nigerians are looking for in political parties, not people using religion or ethnicity or geographical sentiment to float political parties, just to, as usual, exploit innocent people,” he said.
Segun Showunmi, a public affairs analyst and chieftain of the PDP warned that it is dangerous to float a political party with tribal agenda at a point when Nigeria is “struggling to be united.”
He said, “The concept that every tribe has a political party with a tribal mark died long gone. Nobody that loves this country will ever support such an idea; and it has nothing to do with not allowing them to have space to open, make input and canvas their views.
“In any case, every part of Nigeria has representatives at the National Assembly. That is more than enough location for them to make sure that their views are pushed and protected.
“We also have the responsibility to sponsor and bring candidates up under the existing structure so that nobody will drive us to the ugly part.
“The country must strive to make progress and become one united entity that works for everybody, not clinging to the crisis that led it into a problem in the past. Nigeria can rise above that.”
But the chairman of the Yoruba World Assembly, Chief Taiye Ayorinde, who is also the Baale of Ekotedo, described Afenifere’s plan as a welcome development.
He noted that such party would ensure that the views and aspirations of the Yoruba and southerners are heard.
“It is not a bad idea. The intention is to convince the Yoruba and ensure that their views and aspirations would be heard in the comity of states.
“Afenifere is like Ohanaeze in the South-East, which has the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). All those using the party there have been winning. This means that if we form such a party it would belong to southern Nigeria. And if a candidate is voted for, the views and aspirations of the South would be heard in the comity of states,” Ayorinde said.
Yinka Folarin, a former national secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), also noted that the development would be healthy for Nigeria’s democracy.
Folarin added that if the Afenifere formed a party, “the ability to convince and push forward their manifestos will determine how far they can go. I feel that it is good; it is healthy for our democracy.” (Daily trust)
