UPN Is a Fake Political Party - Adebanjo

An elder statesman and leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has condemned the resuscitation of the Unity Party of Nigeria by the founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun.

Adebanjo, who was a close associate of the late Premier of the Western Region and founder of the defunct UPN, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, said the new UPN is fake because it was registered by Fasehun without the involvement of any of the prominent members of the defunct party.

In an interview with our correspondent, Adebanjo said Fasehun was never a member of the UPN in the Second Republic and so does not has the moral justification to resuscitate the party.

He said, “That (Fasehun’s UPN) is a fake UPN. The man, who they say resuscitated the UPN, I say categorically, was never a member of the UPN. I challenge him. I, Ayo Adebanjo, say Fasehun was never a member of the UPN.

“He could have been a supporter, but he was never a member. He should tell me what role he played in the UPN then. I’m not saying he might not have been one of the admirers of the party and Chief Awolowo but he was not prominent enough to say he wants to resuscitate the party.

“Somebody is resuscitating the UPN and Adebanjo is not there, Lateef Jakande is not there; Reuben Fasoranti is not there; Ayo Fasanmi is not there. These are the people who can talk about the UPN; we know ourselves. These are the people who were in the UPN. Don’t tell me the UPN has been resuscitated. Those are ‘jeun jeun’ politicians.”

Adebanjo added that even though Fasehun was said to have obtained the blessing of the matriarch of the Awolowo family, Mrs. HID Awolowo, it was not enough for him to unilaterally resuscitate the UPN.

He said, “Everybody is getting the blessing of Mama Awolowo these days. I’ve told you he was never a member of the UPN. Let him counter me, leave the woman alone. Don’t bring mama in. Everybody goes to Ikenne to pay homage.

“Even the governor of the state also goes to pay homage. Everybody goes there whether they are doing right or not. What would mama say now, at age 98? When you go there she will say welcome, all of us are her children. Do they know how Ikenne made the name and became a Mecca?”

In his reaction, Fasehun admitted that he was not a member of the old UPN but said he admired the late Awolowo and resuscitated the party with the aim of keeping the legacies of the sage alive.

He said, “It’s unfortunate that kind of statement would come from an elder like Chief Ayo Adebanjo. Should we then bury the legacies of Chief Awolowo because he is dead? Where were they when I was spending my money to resuscitate the UPN?

“I’m not in tandem with Adebanjo that only those who were in the UPN then with Awolowo can resuscitate UPN. Yes, I was not a member. I was abroad studying then but that did not stop me from admiring him (Awolowo).”

Fasehun added that he consulted widely before registering the UPN, and said, “If I didn’t consult everybody, there must be a reason for that. Chief Adebanjo cannot prevent me from upholding the legacies of Awolowo.”

-Source