Ademola Adeyemo
Ibadan

Oyo State chapter of Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, yesterday announ-ced the expulsion of Governor Lam Adesina and his Secretary to the State Government, Chief Adeniyi Koleoso for allegedly campaigning for President Obasanjo's re-election bid in 2003.

The chairman of Afenifere in the state, Alhaji Wahab Odusina and secretary, Chief Mike Odurinde, who signed the expulsion statement accused Adesina and Koleoso of "flagrant disregard for the directive of the pan-Yoruba organisation."

Last month, Afenifere issued a well-publicised warning to Adesina over what it termed the governor's breach of Afenifere's "cherished traditions of discipline and loyalty."

The warning had gone thus: "We are shocked that leaders holding important positions in both Afenifere and the government and who are supposed to be well-schooled in Afenifere's cherished traditions of discipline and loyalty will openly make statements that are at variance with the organisation's position."

The warning signed by Afenifere's publicity secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye had insisted that "if Obasanjo is to be endorsed for a second term, it will be a collective decision of Afenifere leaders to be taken at the appropriate time."

The deision to expel Adesina from the organisation therefore suggests that the Oyo State Governor had not heeded its warning.

The expulsion statement stated specifically that Adesina and his secretary have continued to campaign for Obasanjo's re-election despite a contrary directive from the Afenifere leadership.

This action the group noted was "creating a negative impression" among the rank and file of the organisation.

"In a flagrant disregard for the Afenifere directive that every member of Afenifere should refrain from campaigning for members of opposition parties, the duo of Lam Adesina and M. Koleoso were busy campaigning for President Olusegun Obasanjo's re-election in 2003.

"In a desperate bid to belittle Afenifere, Alhaji Lam Adesina went to the level of distorting history by linking the formation of Afenifere to an alleged meeting at Chief Bola Ige's house in 1993," Afenifere said in a statement.

The statement contended that Afenifere was formed in Owo on April 29, 1951 and that the name Afenifere was suggested by Chief Adisa Akinloye.

The Secretary to the State Government, in addition to his alleged disregard for Afenifere's authority, incurred the wrath of the organisation for failing to relinquish the party (AD) chairmanship in Oyo State when he became the SSG.

They also accused the duo of attending the meeting of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) in October 2000 "and made some inflammatory statements at the occasion against Afenifere."

Afenifere, while reiterating its commitment to the leadership of Chief Abraham Adesanya said that the governor and his SSG should "henceforth, stop parading themselves as members of Afenifere."

Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government last night reacted to the expulsion saying those who signed the expulsion statement have no such powers.

The Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan said, "they have no locus standi to represent Afenifere in Oyo State. They are not recognised by Afenifere. They have just being expelled from Alliance for Democracy," he said.

He also described the purported endorsement of the expulsion by Pa Abraham Adesanya as untrue.

It will be recalled that a sharp division emerged within the ranks of Afenifere after its leaders handed the presidential ticket of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) to Chief Olu Falae. The outcome of the selection did not go down well with Ige who felt that the leaders should have supported him.

This led to the factionalisation of the party which persisted and led to two parallel conventions in Abuja last November. While Ige led three other governors including Adesina to the Eagle Square venue, the mainstream Afenifere group held forte at the Abuja Gardens.

Within the Afenifere camp, Adesina's position on issues are perceived from Ige's viewpoint, particularly, his support for President Obasanjo's second term bid.

Last March, Afenifere, smarting from the embarrassment of a consistent open support for Obasanjo's re-election in 2003, declared that it was premature to endorse Obasanjo for a second term.