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Tinubu’s Victory: War In Afenifere As Fasoranti Faults Adebanjo

Published

2 years ago

March 29, 2023

…Says suspension of 2 officials won’t stand

The leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, yesterday, dissociated himself from the position taken at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State over the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the President-elect, saying that is not the Afenifere way.

He also declared the removal and suspension of two Afenifere officials, Messrs Kole Omololu and Jare Ajayi, null and void.

Fasoranti, in a statement he personally signed, stated that being a law abiding organization, Afenifere could not have asserted that someone, other than the person declared by the body duly authorized by the Constitution and other extant laws of the land, is the winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

Both Ajayi and Omololu were sacked for allegedly issuing unauthorised statements and constant denigration of the organisation.

But distancing himself from the communiqué by its leader and Secretary General, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Sola Ebiseni respectively after its monthly meeting held at Isanya Ogbo in Ogun State, Fasoranti said: “A General Meeting does not have the power to convene and take such a far-reaching decision just at the whims of individuals.”

The statement reads: “My attention has been drawn to the Communique purportedly issued after a meeting that held on Tuesday, March 27, at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun State. This statement is being issued because of the content of the said document.

“Afenifere could not have asserted that someone, other than the person declared by the body duly authorized by the Constitution and other extant laws of the land, is the winner of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023 in Nigeria.

“The body mandated to conduct elections in Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after the completion of this year’s presidential election on February 25th, has declared the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the winner of the said election.

“Our National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Jare Ajayi, issued a congratulatory message to the President-elect after he had been issued a Certificate of Return by INEC.

“This was cited as an ‘uncouth activity’ by the communiqué mentioned above which further stated that Abagun and Ajayi were ‘suspended sine die pending further decisions after their appearance before and recommendations by the Disciplinary Committee’.

“It means that the two were pronounced guilty and consequently sanctioned even before their appearance before a Disciplinary Committee.

“That is not the Afenifere way. A General Meeting does not have the power to convene and take such a far-reaching decision just at the whims of individuals. There must have been an official petition laid at the Caucus Meeting, which is referred to the Disciplinary Committee that will investigate and give the officers involved the opportunity to plead their cases.

“Reports and recommendations are then received by the Leaders-in-Council who then take a decision on the Report with The Leader before reverting to the Caucus in communication. This fiat approach as seen in the current situation is alien to our organisation and cannot stand.”

On the presidential election, he said: “This type of position is alien to us in Afenifere which does not conduct itself as an agent of the state let alone as an electoral umpire. We accept the results of the elections at all levels as declared by INEC until otherwise decided by competent courts in the land.

“Presently, the whole world knows that Nigeria has a President-elect in person of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a true Yoruba son and nationalist. We in Afenifere not only acknowledge this, we take delight in his in-coming Presidency and are confident that he will, by the grace of God, return Nigeria to the glorious position that all of us will be proud of.

“I also read in the said communiqué, the purported removal and suspension of the National Publicity Secretary and the National Organising Secretary of the organization in persons of Jare Ajayi and Abagun Kole Omololu.

“At no time was any of these officials reported to me as doing anything against what Afenifere stands for or doing anything against the interests of our race, the Yoruba. Thus, at no time was I informed that they were queried, warned or sanctioned for conducting themselves in a manner contrary to what Afenifere or the Yoruba stand for.

“Being an organization that believes in justice and fairness, being an organization that always maintains that those at the helms of affairs should follow the rule of law, Afenifere, our organization, cannot just wake up and pronounce some officials removed and suspended without telling them what their offences are and without giving them the opportunities to defend themselves.

“Such a step is not only against natural justice; it is also in clear defiance of the law of the land. Afenifere believes in the rule of law and in the fundamental rights of all, including right to fair hearing. For these and other reasons, the purported removal and suspension are null and void. The two officials should be commended rather than condemned for the selfless services they are rendering to Afenifere, to the Yoruba race and to Nigeria and humanity. They are hereby so commended.”
VANGUARD

Related Topics:#Tinubu Adebanjo Afenifere Fasoranti

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Leader Of UK Christian Group Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Women

Published

11 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

Chris Brain, 68, the leader of a UK Christian group once backed by the Church of England, has been convicted of sexually abusing nine women in his congregation.

A jury delivered the final verdicts on Thursday.

‎Brain led the Nine O’Clock Service, an evangelical movement in Sheffield during the 1980s and 1990s. The group was known for its nightclub-style worship, held at 9 p.m. on Sundays, which included live music and drew large crowds of young people.

‎Prosecutors said Brain used his authority to control members of the congregation, isolating them from family and friends, and used his position to commit sexual assaults. He also maintained a group of young women known as the “lycra nuns” who assisted him, his wife, and his daughter at home, prosecutor Tim Clark told the court.

‎The leader of the UK Christian group was charged with 36 counts of indecent assault and one count of rape involving 13 women between 1981 and 1995. He denied the charges, claiming any sexual contact was consensual.

‎Following a trial at Inner London Crown Court, he was convicted of 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women. He was acquitted of 15 other charges, while the jury could not reach a verdict on four additional indecent assault charges and the rape allegation. The Crown Prosecution Service said it would “carefully consider” whether to seek a retrial.

‎The Nine O’Clock Service had received approval from the Church of England. In 1990, the Archbishop of Canterbury-elect George Carey met with Brain to discuss his methods, and his ordination was expedited. Prosecutors said the group even spent heavily to purchase the costume worn by Robert De Niro in the 1986 film The Mission for his ceremony.

‎Brain resigned shortly before a BBC documentary aired in 1995, accusing him of inappropriate sexual behaviour. Carey later said he was “crushed and let down” when the allegations became public.

‎In court, Brain admitted to receiving massages from congregation members that sometimes became sexual but denied manipulating or controlling them.

‎Bishop of Sheffield Pete Wilcox said in a statement: “What happened was an appalling abuse of power and leadership that should never have occurred. Where concerns were raised in the past and were not acted upon properly, that was a failing of the Church. For those institutional failures, I offer an unreserved apology.”

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Russia Claims More Ukraine Land As Hopes For Summit Fade

Published

11 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

Russia on Saturday said its forces had taken two villages in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, increasing the military pressure as world leaders struggle to broker an end to the conflict.

South Africa added its voice to those calling for a summit between Ukraine and Russia.

Russian forces are slowly advancing in the embattled eastern region of Donetsk, grinding closer to Kyiv’s key defensive line in costly metre-for-metre battles.

Moscow’s defence ministry said on Telegram that its forces had captured the villages of Sredneye and Kleban-Byk.

The taking of Kleban-Byk would mark a further advance towards Kostiantynivka — a key fortified town on the road to Kramatorsk, where a major Ukrainian logistics base is located.

On Friday, Russia said its troops had captured three villages in the Donetsk region it claimed to have annexed in September 2022.

On Saturday, Ukrainian military officials said its forces had stopped a Russian advance and recaptured the village of Zeleny Gai in the Donetsk region in a post to Telegram.

In July, Russia claimed the capture of the village, on the border with Dnipropetrovsk, adding that it was an important stronghold used by Ukraine to protect the area.

– Ramaphosa backs summit –
The latest Russian advances come as hopes dim for a summit between Russian and Ukrainian presidents — a solution championed by US President Donald Trump as part of his efforts to end the conflict.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday added his voice to calls for a Russia-Ukraine summit during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“President Ramaphosa stressed the urgency of holding bilateral and trilateral meetings between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine and the United States as key to signal a firm commitment to ending the war,” said a statement from his office.

Ramaphosa, who currently chairs the G20, also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, the statement added. He will speak with other European leaders in the coming weeks.

Ramaphosa spoke on Monday with Vladimir Putin, whom he described in October at the BRICS summit as a “dear ally” and a “valued friend”.

However, for the first time since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, South Africa earlier this year backed a UN resolution declaring that Russia had launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Zelensky said he had told Ramaphosa he was ready for any kind of meeting with Putin.

“However, we see that Moscow is once again trying to drag everything out even further,” he said on X.

He called on the Global South to send “relevant signals and (push) Russia toward peace”.

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said “no meeting” was planned as Trump’s mediation efforts appeared to stall, while Zelensky accused Russia of trying to prolong the offensive.

AFP

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US Suspends Work Visas For Nigerian, Foreign Truck Drivers

Published

24 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

The United States government has suspended the issuance of work visas for Nigerian and other foreign truck drivers, citing job security concerns and safety risks for American citizens.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision on Thursday, saying it takes immediate effect.

According to him, the rising number of foreign truck drivers on U.S. highways is both threatening lives and reducing opportunities for American truckers.

“Effective immediately, we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers.

“The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio said.

The move comes under President Donald Trump’s renewed clampdown on immigration since returning to office in January 2025.

As part of new measures, travellers from countries with high visa overstay rates or weak travel databases will be required to pay a bond of $5,000 to $15,000 before obtaining certain categories of visas.

The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria also directed all visa applicants to disclose their social media handles from the past five years, warning that failure to comply could result in denial of applications and possible ineligibility for future visas.