I Have Nothing To Do With Gumi — Ayo Adebanjo

ACTING leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group,
Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has dispelled insinuations he
identifies with those who keep company with alleged criminals and
bandits.

The nonagenarian spoke against the background of some pictures
being circulated, in which he was spotted on the same flight with
the controversial Islamic preacher, Sheik Abubakar Gumi, known to
have expressed sympathy for bandits and even visited them in their
hideouts.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the
Afenifere, Mr Jare Ajayi, said Chief Adebanjo, a lawyer, is not
only “a man of peace for whom human rights matter a lot, but he
also is never known to be in cahoots with any criminal or those who
keep company with alleged criminals and bandits.

“The pictures being circulated in which Adebanjo was seen on the
same flight with Gumi and later in a handshake in the presence of
former President Olusegun Obasanjo were taken in 2018 during the
run-up to the presidential election that took place in 2019.

“It will be recalled that former vice president, Atiku Abubakar,
solicited the assistance of various important Nigerian
personalities to help him secure the support of his former boss,
Obasanjo, in his (Abubakar’s) bid to become the country’s president
then.

ACTING leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group,
Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has dispelled insinuations he
identifies with those who keep company with alleged criminals and
bandits.

The nonagenarian spoke against the background of some pictures
being circulated, in which he was spotted on the same flight with
the controversial Islamic preacher, Sheik Abubakar Gumi, known to
have expressed sympathy for bandits and even visited them in their
hideouts.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the
Afenifere, Mr Jare Ajayi, said Chief Adebanjo, a lawyer, is not
only “a man of peace for whom human rights matter a lot, but he
also is never known to be in cahoots with any criminal or those who
keep company with alleged criminals and bandits.

“The pictures being circulated in which Adebanjo was seen on the
same flight with Gumi and later in a handshake in the presence of
former President Olusegun Obasanjo were taken in 2018 during the
run-up to the presidential election that took place in 2019.

“It will be recalled that former vice president, Atiku Abubakar,
solicited the assistance of various important Nigerian
personalities to help him secure the support of his former boss,
Obasanjo, in his (Abubakar’s) bid to become the country’s president
then.