Daily Trust Sunday

Obasanjo Meets Afenifere Leaders

- From Abdullatee­f Aliyu, Lagos

Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday met with some prominent leaders of the Pan-Yoruba sociocultu­ral organizati­on, Afenifere.

The meeting held at the residence of Pa Ayo Adebanjo, in Lekki, Lagos.

Obasanjo was accompanie­d to the meeting which started at 10:40 am and ended at 11:40 am by his loyalists and associates, including Chief Abraham Akanle, Mr. Joju Fadairo, Dr. Femi Majekodunm­i, Dr. Gbolade Oshinowo, Kenny Martins and Otunba Oyewole Fasawe.

Some of the Yoruba leaders in attendance included Prof. Akin Mabogunje, publisher of Tribune Newspaper, Mrs. Tokunbo AwolowoDos­umu, Senior Pastor, Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare, an Afenifere chieftain and South-West Chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Supo Shonibare and spokesman of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin.

Others are Second Republic Senator, Prof. Banji Akintoye, one time Secretary of Afenifere, Senator Femi Okunromu, elder statesman, Dr. Amos Akingba and Akin Oshuntokun

Former Governor of Ogun State and the Director General of the Atiku Campaign Organizati­on, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, were also in attendance.

At the end of the meeting, Obasanjo refused to speak with newsmen but Adebanjo said it is time Yoruba leaders reunited to stop what he called “dictatoria­l tendencies”.

He said, “This is nothing more than the fact that Nigeria must move forward. All attempts to establish dictatoria­l tendencies in the country must be opposed.

“What is important is that we have our common goal. We don’t have a candidate yet. Not yet. We must agree first, any difference among us must be settled.”

Also speaking, Bakare said though he has been one of the staunch critics of Obasanjo, it is time to move together because “things are not going the right way. That is all.”

Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has visited his former ally and former national deputy chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to condole with him over the death of his son, Dipo, who died in May.

The visit was described as an end to the political rift between the duo.

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