A faction of the Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, loyal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has named Oba Olu Falae, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF and the Olu of Ilu- Abo in Ondo State, as the Chairman of its National Executive Committee.
An opposing faction of the Chief Obafemi Awolowo-founded Afenifere gravitates towards loyalists of the Late Chief Ayo Adebanjo, backing Peter Obi of the Labour Party in the 2025 presidential elections, and holds meetings in Ijebu-Igbo.
Prior to this appointment, Afenifere has no such arrangement, and may have been adopted due to Fasoranti’s advanced age.
Falae is 86, Fasoranti is 99.
Rising from its monthly meeting held at the country home of its national leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, the Ondo state capital, the factional group insisted on the restructuring of the country, expressed worries over insecurity, amongst other challenges facing the country.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, said that the appointment of Oba Falae was made by the group’s national leader, Pa Fasoranti.
Ajayi added that the appointment was to reposition the Pan Yoruba Social Political Organisation.
He said: “Oba Falae’s appointment is meant to reinvigorate the organisation with a view to ensuring that the House of Oduduwa is back on track to project the Yoruba mandate.
“The new Chairman, Oba Falae, is a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), among other important offices he has held.
According to the communique, “The meeting considered various challenges confronting the nation currently.
“Since we have subjected these issues to rigorous interrogations severally, we have come to the conclusion that the most potent means of tackling the challenges is Restructuring.
“We are therefore calling on the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to set the machinery in motion to restructure the country as a matter of urgency.
“As we congratulate the present administration for clocking two years in office, we urge it to make Restructuring one of the major policies in its third year in office.
“Afenifere, at the meeting, heartily congratulated President Bola Tinubu as his administration clocks two years in office.
”It expressed the hope that the administration will use the remaining period of its tenure to more effectively address issues that are bothering Nigerians.
“While we take note of the reports by the the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, on inflation, we wish to emphasize that food inflation and transport costs are still very burdensome.
“We therefore implore the federal government to take urgent actions to ease the situation.
“Afenifere took note of the good intention of the Federal Government on the initiative for the National Forestry Guards, but the organization is of the opinion that the implementation should be by the States as part of the decentralization of security architecture.
“Afenifere thanked the President for releasing fund for the rehabilitation of Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Expressway.
The meeting was attended by Members from the Yoruba States that made up Afenifere, including Kogi and Kwara States as well as Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and Chief Tokunbo Ajasin.
Speaking on his appointment, Oba Falae promised to unite all the factions in Afenifere.
Falae who thanked Pa Fasoranti for appointing him said that ” by the grace of God and with the support of Afenifere and the Yoruba nation, we’ll succeed in bringing the other groups, everybody together.
He added that: “I intend to do all I can to bring all factions of Afenifere together in Papa’s lifetime.”
