Osoba is a ‘political bat’, says Adebanjo, Afenifere leader

Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has promised to, at the appropriate time, respond to former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, who in a recent interview with Vanguard newspaper, made some comments about him.

Osoba in the interview accused Adebanjo of breaking Afenifere and also urged the South West to support Igbo presidency in 2023, among other issues.

He also said Adebanjo accused him (Osoba) and others of selling out to a Fulani by supporting President Muhammadu Buhari, but forgetting that he (Adebanjo) also supported Atiku Abubakar, who is also a Fulani.

Osoba also claimed that Adebanjo supported some past governors of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South West, including the current governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde.

According to Osoba, a former governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, walked out on the Afenifere for making uncomplimentary remarks about his father.

He noted in the interview that he became the governor of Ogun State against Afenifere’s wish in 1990, adding that the group never contributed a dime to his emergence.

“When they hobnobbed with former President Jonathan, that is consistency. Awolowo will never jump from one party to another. And Awolowo, if alive, would never hobnob with (the) PDP.

“Adebanjo is instrumental in Afenifere breaking into different sub-groups. He speaks so annoyingly about so many people. Inside Awolowo’s house in Ikenne, the Yoruba Unity Forum, founded by Bishop Ladigbolu, regularly meets. From Afenifere, we have Wale Oshun’s Afenifere Renewal Group; we have Prof. Banji Akintoye’s Yoruba World Congress; we have Deji Osibogun’s group; and we also have the Yoruba Council of Elders headed by Pa Alayande. Can you question the credentials of Alayande and say that he’s not a core Awoist?” Osoba said in the interview.

But, Adebanjo, in a telephone conversation with the The Punch on Sunday, said the ex-governor said many things he was not privy to and only wanted to create an impression that he (Adebanjo) was having a controversy with him

He said: “At the appropriate time, I will put the record straight by telling my own side of the story. I will not dignify his statement with a response, because he only wanted to create an impression that he’s having a controversy with me.”

The nonagenarian further described Osoba as a “political bat,” whom he said one did not know his stand politically.

“He is a political bat. You cannot know where he is. Even in the All Progressives Congress that he is, is he with Tinubu? Is he in the same camp with Adebayo (ex-Ekiti State governor) and others?” Adebanjo said.

He also accused Osoba and others of merely focusing on the 2023 presidential election to the detriment of robust talks on how to restructure the country.

“I will address all the issues he raised during the interview at the appropriate time. How can they be talking of restructuring when they are only talking about 2023?” the Afenifere leader added.