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Afenifere
reconvenes on AD crisis
ABIODUN FELIX,
Osogbo
PAN-Yoruba
social-political group, Afenifere, meets today in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State
country home of its leader, Senator Abraham Adesanya, to decide the fate of the
crisis-ridden Alliance for Democracy (AD).
The meeting is scheduled just as the
leaders in both the South-East and South-South yesterday endorsed the factional
leader of the party, Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa.
At a meeting held in Akure, the Ondo State
capital two weeks ago, Afenifere announced Senator Akinfenwa as the
authentic AD. National Chairman. But the Bisi Akande group condemned
Afenifere’s action, describing it as a mockery.
Speaking with newsmen in Osogbo, the Osun
State capital, yesterday, Senator Akinfenwa, who vowed that he would not concede
power to the former Governor Bisi Akande, described the latter as a betrayal.
He alleged that Akande was circumventing
the truth by using his connection with some former South-West AD governors to
further polarise the party.
Expressing optimism at the outcome of
today’s meeting, Akinfenwa said the group would further confirm the Akure
meeting where he was confirmed by Afenifere as the authentic chairman of
the party.
He wondered why Akande would fault the
Akure parley, saying Akande himself was party to the conveyance of the meeting.
"Before now, Pa Abraham Adesanya invited
us, he asked us to state our case. Akande spoke for 20 minutes, I spoke for one
hour. After I had spoken, they were dumb-founded. There and then, Afenifere
was convinced that I am the legitimate chairman of the party," he stated.
Akinfenwa said that before the Akure
meeting "Akande told me that he told the people that whatever decision they
take, he would abide by it. After the meeting, some groups went into another
private meeting for about 40 minutes and it was thereafter that Chief Reuben
Fanranti read the group’s decision that I am the legitimate chairman.
"As far as I am concerned, I am the
Chairman of the party because I am convinced beyond reasonable that I was
elected by a constitutionally convened congress," he added.
Akinfenwa who ruled out the .. of his
stepping down for Akande or any younger person in the party, said doing so would
amount to mortgaging the future of the party, adding that posterity would judge
him.
"I can make sacrifice but I will not be
helping the future of our young generation. I will not go for a new convention
for it will rubbish the truth and would not bring an end to the crisis," he
further stated.
Akinfenwa said Akande never told him he
wanted to be the chairman of the party prior to the convention.
"We had agreed that the convention would
hold in Abuja. We had booked the Eagle Square only for some groups to just
decide to hold a parallel convention in Lagos," he said.
He stated that he felt betrayed at
Akande’s antics, alleging that he contributed N100,000 towards Akande’s election
as Osun State Governor in 1999.
Akinfenwa, however, assured that the
current crisis rocking the AD would soon be a thing of the past.
Said he: "This crisis will only delay us
but will not affect the fortunes of the party. Crisis is not limited to AD
alone. There are worse crisis in PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) and ANPP (All
Nigeria Peoples Party). We must not fear crisis. Management of crisis is what
matters.
"The future of AD is very robust. When
this crisis is over, I will surely take the country by storm," "Akinfenwa added.
Meanwhile, both the South-East and
South-South leaders of the party had pitched their tents with Senator Akinfenwa.
According to a statement signed by leaders
of the party in the South East Zone, and made available to newsmen in Osogbo
yesterday, the party categorically stated that "we are strongly in support of
the decision of Afenifere and our support has always been for the
leadership of Akinfenwa."
The group roundly, condemned the National
Secretary, of the party Dr Chudi Nwike, for aligning with the Lagos convention
of the party which produced former Osun State governor, Bisi Akande.
The statement was signed by the National
Vice Chairman of the party in the South East, Dr Ben Okeke, the National
Treasurer, Mr. Felix Ogbuagwu; the National Vice Chairman, Chief Kingsley Ibe
and Chief Dr. Mercy Mere, Chairman Democratic branch of the party, among others.
Others are the Ebonyi State Chairman,
Chief Lekwa K. Tazie Chief Dr Perry Iloegbuman, Engr. Justin Igbooka (Anambra)
and Hon. Godwin Aya the South East Zonal parth leader.
The cancus .. Nwike’s recent publication
... Afenifere’s endorsement of Akinfenwa as a misnormal.
According to them "whoever .. Afenifere
from the AD person an "Afenifere was one of the association that
formed AD. In every political setting, there must be stake holders and elders of
the party. Ever since the Afenifere started their investigations and
consultations into the crisis, both Akande and his supporters never complained,
why complaining now?," the group asked.
Also, the leadership of the party from all
the South South states said their support for Akinfenwa was based on their
belief for continued unity of the party.
In a statement signed by the party’s
chieftains from Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Cross River States, they
opined that their position is "founded on the urgent need for cohension,
promotion and advisement of democracy for the benefit of all Nigerians."
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