Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Wednesday said it will not meddle in the plans by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to go after Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state and national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Yinka Odumakin, the organisation’s National Publicity Secretary in a chat with Daily Independent said Afenifere’s focus now is lasting solution to the siege on Yorubaland by Fulani herders and bandits.
An online news medium, Peoples Gazette had reported that The EFCC has written a letter to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CBB), requesting copies of Tinubu’s asset declaration form.
A copy of the letter revealed that the investigation into Tinubu began last year after the removal of erstwhile Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.
The letter marked CR/3000/EFCC/LS/Vol4/322, dated November 6, 2020, was signed by the then Lagos zonal head, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who is now the Chairman of the EFCC.
The letter read in part, “In view of the above, you are kindly requested to furnish the commission with the outstanding requested information of Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu.
During his screening at the National Assembly, Abdulrasheed Bawa last week, the new EFCC Chairman said the Commission has the legal backing to investigate unexplained wealth.
When asked if Afenifere will intervene to defend one of its sons if Tinubu is summoned by the EFCC, Odumakin said Afenifere will not defend any of its sons who refused to stand up for Yorubaland in their time of need.
According to him, the planned probe of Tinubu by the EFCC is an internal political affair of the APC and not of interest to Afenifere.
“Let them sort out themselves. It has nothing to do with us in Afenifere. Let them fight their corruption the way they want and sort themselves out. It is not an issue for us. It is their internal politics and it has nothing to do with Afenifere.
“We are fighting the killings and attacks on Yoruba people at this moment. That is what we have time for now. Our focus now is to end the serial attacks, banditry and raping of our women and other things that are going on. That is our concern at the moment; not any party or political leader.”
On the claim by Chief Ayo Adebanjo four years ago that an attack on Tinubu is an attack on the Yoruba race, Odumakin said the circumstances in which Adebanjo uttered the statement is quite different from today’s situation.
“We do not disown our leader, Papa Ayo Adebanjo for the statement he made at that time but the circumstances was different from what obtains now.
“Our people are under serious siege and anybody that cannot stand up for them in what they are going through cannot have Yoruba support at this time.”
