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How Tinubu Divided Afenifere
By Eric Elezuo
It was not expected since most arrangements were legit in the body of the pan-Yoruba organisation, Afenifere. Beginning with the official stepping down of the erstwhile leader of the group, Pa Reuben Faroranti in March 2021 and the handing over of the leadership of the group to Chief Ayo Adebanjo, everything seems perfect, and there appeared to be no rancour.
Fasoranti had said during the handover that the development became necessary “as the group needs more than ever before to have an improved organisation with more effective approach to combat the monstrous invasion of our culture and pride as a people.
“Only a more alike and active leadership can achieve this. At 95, I am hardly able to provide such and so, it is time for me to step aside.
“At this junction, I am proud to announce Chief Ayo Adebanjo, a politician of the Awolowo school of thought as acting leader of Afenifere and His Royal Highness, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the Alaago of Kajola Ago in Atakumosa East Local Government Area, as the Deputy Leader.”
The fragile peace was however, to be destabilised following the endorsement of the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi by the pan-Yoruba. While it was believed that the endorsement received the support of the members of the group, or at least a majority, the visit of the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to Fasoranti in his Akure residence proved otherwise.
Justifying the group’s endorsement of Peter Obi, Adebanjo revealed during a press conference in Lagos that the group would not compromise the principle of justice, equity and inclusiveness because Tinubu is a Yoruba man.
“The South-West has produced a President and currently sits as Vice President; the South-South has spent a total of six years in the Presidency, but the Igbo people of the South-East have never tasted presidency in Nigeria, and now that the power is due back in the South, equity demands that it be ceded to the Igbo.
“We cannot continue to demand that the Igbo people remain in Nigeria while we, at the same time, continue to brutally marginalise and exclude them from the power dynamics.
“Peter Obi is the person of Igbo extraction that Afenifere has decided to support and back; he is the man we trust to restructure the country back to federalism on the assumption of office.
“We will not compromise this principle of justice, equity and inclusiveness because one of our own, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is a frontline candidate. It is on this same principle we condemn the Peoples Democratic Party for sponsoring Atiku Abubakar, a Northern Fulani Muslim to succeed General Muhammadu Buhari another Fulani Muslim,” Adebanjo said.
Rather than accepting the decision of the Afenifere, Tinubu and his campaign organisation derided Adebanjo, saying he did speak for the Yoruba. Tinuba was to collect a harmful of Yoruba leaders and supporters, and visited the now retired Pa Fasoranti. To the shock of everyone, Fasoranti blessed Tinubu, and declared him endorsed by Afenifere. He later claimed that he was still the leader of Afenifere, and never resigned as Adebanjo claimed. His claims created a wide in the relative peace hitherto enjoyed by group.
Speaking to The Boss on the ensuing crisis as the two leaders engaged each other in a war of words, a political commentator, who craved anonymity said he was not surprised at the outcome of the whole thing. He said he knew Tinubu was not going to give up even as he knew the position of Afenifere.
“He is not the type to give up without causing a ruckus. He knew as a strategist that the only he could have a chance was to create holes in the Afenifere, and divide it, if possible into tiny bits. That is his stock and trade. If he can’t have it; he will destroy. That is just just typical Tinubu. Just look at the Yoruba Nation Movement; that is his next port of call,” he said.
Much as it was a known fact that leaders of the group held divergent opinions about the way forward in the current political dispensation, their disagreement has remained muffled till Tinubu’s visit to Akure, Ondo State.
“It was not just a visit; it was a masterstroke meant to destabilise the fragile Afenifere unity. And Tinubu and his group quite achieved their aim. Today, Afenifere is in disarray, and that is the basic intention,” the source added.
While Adebanjo has argued that a Tinubu presidency was not in the interest of peace and equity in Nigeria, Fasoranti and his camp gave said that a Tinubu presidency would “usher in a new era of hope, peace, security, harmony, gainful employment for the multitude, economic development, social and political stability,” according a statement by the National Organising Secretary, Abagun Kole Omololu
As the brouhaha lingers, Fasoranti was to appear in a televised interview by Impact TV Africa, stating categorically that he neither resigned nor retired as the leader of Afenifere. A statemnet Adebabnjo objected to, and said he was disappointment.
Stressing that he was still the leader of Afenifere at 96, Fasoranti said “I didn’t resign or retire from leadership. I was misunderstood. I think the best thing is to correct that,” he said
He added, “As you can see, the trend, the approval and the acceptability. You could see what happened when Tinubu came to meet me in Akure. The media carried the whole thing.
“Adebanjo does not have the capacity to warn me not to welcome Tinubu. Can he do that successfully?
“What happened was that Adebanjo took a stand and I took a stand. I didn’t call him and he didn’t call me. We never spoke about the visit.
“As you saw yesterday, it goes without saying that Jagaban was accepted. Obi has no stand in our mind at all.”
In response, Adebanjo, who was not at the meeting in Akure, said he was not ready to enter into any controversy over the decision taken at the meeting.
“In the first place, I was not supposed to be there. In the second place, we have made our position clear. Pa Fasoranti asked me if I was coming, I said if he asked me to come, but (I asked him to) tell him (Tinubu) what the position of Afenifere is. Once he has done that, I’m not going into any controversy about that.
“Afenifere has taken a stance to support Obi. Any other splinter or rebel group…I’m not going into any controversy about that. I regard that as a diversion. What we are going to do now is see that we succeed at the election.”
In the wake of the visit, Fasoranti is claiming that never retired, but still the leader of Afenifere and Adebanjo’s position as acting leader is no longer tenable, while Adebanjo is maintaining that he remains the leader as Fasoranti has retired owing to old age, and therefore has no the power to remove him as he was just an ordinary member of the organisation.
“He has no right, constitutionally or otherwise, to do so. He’s functus officio (no longer in office.) He has resigned and is just an ordinary member of the party.
“Once he has handed over to me, I am the de facto leader of Afenifere. I won’t make it a controversy at all. Let him test his position wherever.
“Where does he derive his authority? Is Afenifere a monarchy? It’s a pity that in his old age he’s being led astray.
“Have you heard of somebody who is out of a process now saying he’s coming back again? It’s a pity he’s making himself a laughing stock,” Adebanjo said.
Again, Fasoranti hinted that the meetings of the group will return to Akure once he converses with the secretary, as meetings are always held at the leader’s country home. Prior to now, meetings were held at Ogbo, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
“Yes, that’s the best. The reason the meeting was shifted from here was a misunderstanding, misinterpretation and misconception of some people that I was going senile and that I couldn’t comprehend. So, when I heard that, I reacted and the person who said that regretted saying so. So, no problem,” Fasoranti said.
In response, a livid Adbanjo retorted that “He has no right to say anything about Afenifere, he has resigned. All the powers and authorities of Afenifere have been vested in me. That’s what I’m saying. I’ve never heard of where somebody who resigned from a political party said he was coming back again.”
But in all these, stakeholders have wondered why Afenifere was able to manage its affairs successfully until Tinubu came into the picture. The group, formed as a socio-cultural organization for the Yoruba people of Nigeria, with Chief Abraham Adesanya as its leader and Chief Bola Ige as deputy leader has other founding members as Pa Onasanya, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Adegbonmire, Okurounmu Femi, Ganiyu Dawodu, Olanihun Ajayi, Olu Falae, Adebayo Adefarati, Alhaji Adeyemo and Ayo Adebanjo. The Alliance for Democracy (AD), formed in 1998, took the Afenifere agenda as its official manifesto.
Cracks appeared on the walls of the group following a poor performance of AD in the April 2003 elections, and there arose a faction, which elected Adebisi Akande was chairman. The crisis degenerated, and in January 2006, the convoy of AD leaders who supported Chief Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa as the party’s national chairman was attacked by thugs in Osogbo, Osun State.
Shortly after, Tinubu pulled out of AD and formed the Action Congress of Nigeria with Akande. This was a move the Adebanjo group considered as a betrayal. Henceforth, the AD died a natural death while Tinubu’s ACN continued to strive across Yorubaland. There is therefore, no love lost between the Adebanjo camp and the Tinubu camp.
“The betrayal of Tinubu against the group remains the bad blood flowing between the two camps till today, and explains why Adebanjo is not interested in the Tinubu presidency. The visit to Akure by Tinubu, however he managed to convince Fasoranti to receive him including the endorsement of Peter Obi are chapters derived from the script of 2003,” another source told The Boss
He added, “Tinubu left Afenifere long ago, and his reappearance today is just to destroy, or at the least divide the group,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that 2026 will be a more prosperous year for all.
Tinubu stated this in his New Year message on Thursday, adding that his administration would sustain the momentum on its major reforms.
“During 2025, we sustained the momentum on our major reforms. We had a fiscal reset and also recorded steady economic progress.
“Despite persistent global economic headwinds, we recorded tangible and measurable gains, particularly in the economy.
“These achievements reaffirm our belief that the difficult but necessary reforms we embarked upon are moving us in the right direction with more concrete results on the horizon for the ordinary Nigerian,” the President said in the statement he personally signed.
Consolidating gains
Tinubu said that the focus in 2026 would be on consolidating the gains and continuing to build a resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and growth-oriented economy.
According to him, Nigeria closed 2025 on a strong note, as despite the policies to fight inflation, it recorded a robust GDP growth each quarter, with annualised growth expected to exceed four per cent for the year.
Tinubu explained that the nation maintained trade surpluses and achieved greater exchange rate stability while inflation declined steadily and reached below 15 per cent, in line with his administration’s target.
“In 2026, we are determined to reduce inflation further and ensure that the benefits of reform reach every Nigerian household. In 2025, the Nigerian Stock Exchange outperformed its peers, posting a robust 48.12 per cent gain and consolidating its bullish run that began in the second half of 2023.
“Supported by sound monetary policy management, our foreign reserves stood at $45.4 billion as of December 29, 2025, providing a substantial buffer against external shocks for the Naira. We expect this position to strengthen further in the New Year,” he said.
“Foreign direct investment is also responding positively. In the third quarter of 2025, FDI rose to $720 million, up from $90 million in the preceding quarter, reflecting renewed investor confidence in Nigeria’s economic direction, which global credit rating agencies, including Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s, have consistently affirmed and applauded,” Tinubu added.
Tax reforms
The President further assured that with patience, fiscal discipline, and unity of purpose, Nigeria would emerge in 2026 stronger and better positioned for sustained growth.
According to him, as inflation and interest rates moderate, his administration expects increased fiscal space for productive investment in infrastructure and human capital development.
“We are also confronting the challenge of multiple taxation across all tiers of government. I commend states that have aligned with the national tax harmonisation agenda by adopting harmonised tax laws to reduce the excessive burden of taxes, levies, and fees on our people and on basic consumption.
“The new year marks a critical phase in implementing our tax reforms, designed to build a fair, competitive, and robust fiscal foundation for Nigeria.
“By harmonising our tax system, we aim to raise revenue sustainably, address fiscal distortions and strengthen our capacity to finance infrastructure and social investments that will deliver shared prosperity,” he added.
National security
Tinubu said that though the path of reform is never easy, his administration remains mindful that economic progress must be accompanied by security and peace.
“Our nation continues to confront security threats from criminal and terrorist elements determined to disrupt our way of life. In collaboration with international partners, including the United States, decisive actions were taken against terrorist targets in parts of the Northwest on December 24.
“Our Armed Forces have since sustained operations against terror networks and criminal strongholds across the Northwest and Northeast,” he said.
But the President stated that in 2026, Nigeria’s security and intelligence agencies would deepen cooperation with regional and global partners to eliminate all threats to national security.
“We remain committed to protecting lives, property, and the territorial integrity of our country.
“I continue to believe that a decentralised policing system with appropriate safeguards, complemented by properly regulated forest guards, all anchored on accountability, is critical to effectively addressing terrorism, banditry, and related security challenges,” he added.
Investments in infrastructure
The New Year marks the beginning of a more robust phase of economic growth, with tangible improvements in the lives of our people.
Tinubu also said that his government would accelerate the implementation of the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, aiming to bring at least 10 million Nigerians into productive economic activity by empowering at least 1,000 people in each of the 8,809 wards across the country.
“Through agriculture, trade, food processing, and mining, we will stimulate local economies and expand grassroots opportunities.
“We will also continue to invest in modernising Nigeria’s infrastructure – roads, power, ports, railways, airports, pipelines, healthcare, education, and agriculture to strengthen food security and improve quality of life. All ongoing projects will continue without interruption,” he said.
He, however, urged Nigerians to play their part to achieve the objectives in 2026 by standing together in unity and purpose, upholding patriotism, and serving the country with honour and integrity in their respective roles.
Let us resolve to be better citizens, better neighbours, and better stewards of our nation.
An Abuja High Court has cleared the way for the implementation of Nigeria’s new tax regime scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, dismissing a suit seeking to halt the programme.
The ruling gives the Federal government, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the National Assembly full legal backing to proceed with the take-off of the new tax laws.
The suit was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of African Initiative for Abuse of Public Trustees, which dragged the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly before the court over alleged discrepancies in the recently enacted tax laws.
In an ex-parte motion, the plaintiff sought an interim injunction restraining the Federal Government, FIRS, the National Assembly and related agencies from implementing or enforcing the provisions of the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The group also asked the court to restrain the President from implementing the laws in any part of the federation pending the hearing of its motion on notice.
However, in a ruling delivered on Tuesday, Justice Kawu struck out the application, holding that it lacked merit and failed to establish sufficient legal grounds to warrant the grant of the reliefs sought.
The court ruled that the plaintiffs did not demonstrate how the implementation of the new tax laws would occasion irreparable harm or violate any provision of the Constitution, stressing that matters of fiscal policy and economic reforms fall squarely within the powers of government.
Justice Kawu further held that once a law has been duly enacted and gazetted, any alleged errors or controversies can only be addressed through legislative amendment or a substantive court order, noting that disagreements over tax laws cannot stop the implementation of an existing law.
Consequently, the court affirmed that there was no legal impediment to the commencement of the new tax regime and directed that implementation should proceed as scheduled from January 1, 2026.
The new tax regime is anchored on four landmark tax reform bills signed into law in 2025 as part of the Federal Government’s broader fiscal and economic reform agenda aimed at boosting revenue, simplifying the tax system and reducing leakages.
The laws — the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025 — consolidate and replace several existing tax statutes, including laws governing companies income tax, personal income tax, value added tax, capital gains tax and stamp duties.
Key elements of the reforms include the harmonisation of multiple taxes into a more streamlined framework, expansion of the tax base, protection for low-income earners and small businesses, and the introduction of modern, technology-driven tax administration systems such as digital filing and electronic compliance monitoring.
The reforms also provide for the restructuring of federal tax administration, including the creation of the Nigeria Revenue Service, to strengthen efficiency, coordination and revenue collection across government levels.
While the Federal government has described the reforms as critical to stabilising public finances and funding infrastructure and social services, the laws have generated intense public debate, with some civil society groups and political actors alleging discrepancies between the versions passed by the National Assembly and those later gazetted.
These concerns sparked calls for suspension, re-gazetting and legal action, culminating in the suit dismissed by the Abuja High Court.
Reacting to the judgment, stakeholders described the ruling as a major boost for the reforms, saying it has removed all legal obstacles that could have delayed the implementation of the new tax framework.
Former governor of Anambra State, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has officially defected to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi announced the decision on Tuesday at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.
“We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” Obi said.
The National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, was among the attendees.
