Our visit to Tinubu not about 2023 —Adebanjo, Afenifere leader

ACTING National Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, has explained that the group’s visit to National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, was not centered around the 2023 presidential election, but to felicitate with him on his recovery. 

Afenifere leaders had visited Tinubu to felicitate with him, after undergoing successful surgery in London. They include Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Supo Sonibare, Oba Olaitan Oladipo, and retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Tunji Alapini.

This is coming days after Tinubu returned from a medical trip to the United Kingdom where he underwent knee surgery.

Giving details about their visit to the former Lagos State governor, Adebanjo dismissed insinuations that the visit was centered on Tinubu’s rumoured presidential ambition. 

Adebanjo said: “There is no noise over 2023. Here is somebody who went to London for surgery and people were trooping there to see him, and don’t forget that he (Tinubu) is a product of Afenifere. We disagree with him politically; he deserted us, but that does not mean we should wish him evil. We went there based on human feelings, the Yoruba have an adage that says 'if we are fighting, it should not mean we should wish ourselves death'. I disagree with him. He is a strong pillar in Yorubaland. I may not agree with his politics. He might have deserted my party, but that does not mean we should wish him evil."

When asked whether Tinubu’s rumoured presidential ambition was discussed during the visit, the Afenifere leader said: “We did not discuss politics at all. It has got nothing to do with it. Some people say it is politics of bitterness, how I can be bitter with my son? I made him the governor of Lagos State, if he goes astray, I can only bring him back, that does not mean I should wish him evil.”

Also speaking, a source present at the meeting said: “It was purely a humane, empathy visitation to someone who we had used our auspices to emerge as Governor, who had just returned from hospitalization. It wasn’t a political visitation.”