Elder statesman and leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo, has refused to recognise the handing over of presidential power and inauguration of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
Pa Adebanjo in a chat with AF24NEWS on Monday, faulted former president Mohammed Buhari’s handing over to Tinubu, whose purported election victory is being contested at the courts.
He said, “What handover are talking about? What are you handing over? I was enjoying my sleep. What are we going to receive from Buhari? What is he going to say that I don’t already know? I don’t know of any President yet until the Supreme Court decides.
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We are doing illegal things out of sentiment. Buhari told us that if we are not satisfied with the elections we should go to court. We are at the court, yet he has given power to the man we are disputing his election. Is it because he is sure the court will not change anything? We are disputing the election, and we were told to shun violence and take our disputes to the Tribunal. Now before the court decides on the matter, you have given him all the paraphernalia of office.
“You have already given him the honour, GCFR (Grand Commander of the Federal Republic) given to presidents. So if the court decides otherwise, are you going to reverse the order? We do many things without common sense in this country, and when you point it out, people choose to reason with sentiments.
This is not a question of anybody not supporting anybody. It is a question of principle. Why do I congratulate anyone now? I don’t hate him (Tinubu). But check why Afenifere in particular opposes him. It is because if the principle of federal character is followed, it should be the turn of the Southeast to lead the country. Nobody is saying that, but that is the issue. I won’t join the multitude to support evil and injustice’.
The 95-year-old Afenifere chieftain maintained his opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s leadership because of the several irregularities that surrounded his emergence at the February 25th presidential election.
Pa Adebanjo added, “We were told to go to the tribunal, but before we could get a conclusion, Buhari installed the man. You are already telling us it’s a fiat accompli. Is that justice? I am not crying over all the tomfoolery by the government, but I believe that God in his mercy shall decide justice in due course.
“The issue at stake we have not decided. We say that the procedure is wrong, you told us to go to court, and before we could conclude at the court, you went and gave the crown to the disputed person. Who are you fooling then? Buhari was just telling us that we are just wasting our time going to court because he has done what he has done.
It is either that he was sure that the court will not overturn the irregularities, even with all the evidence presented to them, or that we are just wasting our time saying that we are going to court. He should just let us know.
“Some royal fathers have been pressuring and calling on us to support this government.
How can we do that when we have a government starting on such a wrong footing? The election was not free and fair, and was full of irregularities. They have not disputed that. We were told to go to the tribunal and before we could prove our case the man was installed and given all the paraphernalia of office. Is that justice? And yet you want us to be doing follow-follow calling him mr president? No, I won’t do that!”
