Ahead of the 2015 general elections, leader of Afenifere, the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Chief Reuben Fasoranti has affirmed that the group wont support the newly formed All Progressives Congress, APC.
The elder statesman maintained that since APC leaders from the Southwest region have vowed not to have anything to do with Afenifere, the group would equally turn its back on them as the 2015 elections approach.
He said, “Several meetings were held to reconcile the present APC leaders with the leadership of Afenifere in the past. They proved difficult. They said they would not have anything to do with us again.” He said that since Afenifere is not working with APC, the group would soon meet to decide which of the parties to support. While commenting on the resuscitation of the Social Democratic Party,SDP, led by Chief Olu Falae, and the Unity Party of Nigeria,UPN, led by leader of Oodua Peoples Congress,OPC, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, Fasoranti, he said the SDP shares the same ideology with Afenifere, but that Fasehun did not inform the organisation before reviving UPN.
Fasoranti added that when the group finally agrees to back a party for the 2015 election, those who prefer to be in other political parties would be free to remain in the parties of their choice.
On his position in relation to merger of political parties, he said, “There is freedom of association. People are free to associate. You can choose your friends the way you want it.”
He dispelled the allegation that Afenifere was backing a political party, saying, “Our position is clear. We are not sponsoring any party and we are not supporting any party either. At the moment, we are progressives.
Reacting to the formation of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) by Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, he said, “Dr. Fasehun is also free to form a party. He has not spoken to us. When he comes to us, we shall talk. He will have to tell us why he decided to resuscitate the party. He has to tell us what made him to do that. We have questions to ask him.” He said that as a foundation member of the defunct UPN, he has not forgotten the ideals and ideology of the party, adding that even in Afenifere, those virtues are rooted.
“What we are doing now is in line with what UPN stands for. What Afenifere stands for today are the ideals of UPN. There is also the SDP now trying to seek registration.
We won’t be moving from one party to the other. When the SDP is registered, we shall decide on what we want to do. The ideology of SDP is more or less the same as that of UPN. Any of the parties that have the same people oriented programme can work with us.”
On whether Afenifere is a political party, he stated, “It is not a political party, but we are giving backing to a political party at the appropriate time. He said that Afenifere would re-admit its members that left because of one issue or another, insisting that “We shall encourage them to return home. Those who left the fold are welcome if they decide to come back. At the right time, we shall decide what party to follow.
“Those who are returning now may not want to go with us to a party.
On whether Afenifere would support the All Progressives Congress,APC, he stated,
“We cannot work with those people. They have said they will never have anything to do with Afenifere again. Several meetings were held to settle any dispute that may separate them from the leaders of Afenifere. But they said they would remain on their own. We will definitely not support those people. But we shall support a party at the appropriate time,” he added.
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