…Says he’ll reply to Akande’s statement later
Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has declared that he would rather focus on the nation’s pressing issues now than on “My Participations” a book recently launched by former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande.
The elder statesman described the release of the book as a diversion to get Nigerians talking about unimportant things.
Adebanjo said Nigerians should rather be interested in the insecurity wracking the country and other pressing matters like changing the constitution.
Speaking during an interview with the Daily Trust, Adebanjo said he would reply when he has full details of what Akande said about him.
“I want to read everything the papers have published. Up until now, I have not read anything. I want to read all.
“I don’t want any diversion. Everything it is about is just a diversion. Change the constitution before the election. Look at the insecurity in the country, how people are being killed every day, and they are talking about this (Akande’s book). So, I’m not interested in that. Anyway, there would be an appropriate answer at the right time,” Adebanjo was quoted as saying.
Akande in his autobiography, “My Participations”, published by Gaskia Media Limited, described Adebanjo as politically irrelevant. He characterised Adebanjo as a blank politically-minded leader who recognises that he never has what it takes to aspire for high political positions.
He also alleged that Adebanjo pressured former Lagos Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to build his house in Lekki.
On the South-West delegation at the 2014 National Conference convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan, Akande wondered why Adebanjo could not find any younger Yoruba to send to the conference to represent the interest of the Yoruba.
“They believed, even in their old age, that they were the only people who could have gone there. Sir Ajayi, who was close to 90 at the time of the conference, has since joined his ancestors. Chief Adebanjo celebrated his 90th birthday in 2018. Chief Falae is in his 80s. Note that Jonathan paid the conference delegates generous allowances.
“Chief Olu Falae, a trained civil servant, who after retirement became decorated into leadership by his former military bosses, has since been trying to blindly straddle Nigeria’s complicated politics,” Akande wrote.
On the issue of restructuring, Akande noted that APC did not have ‘restructuring’ in its manifesto for the 2015 elections, adding that the party only promised devolution of power.
