By Morenike Taire

Afenifere pointsman and General Secretary of the Labour Party in Osun State, Olusegun Babalola, has dismissed recent claims made by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, accusing him of deepening the cracks within an already fragmented opposition.

In a statement made available to select media outlets, Babalola debunked Lamido’s assertions—particularly the claim that Afenifere “hopped into the arena after June 12 to use the victory”—a statement Lamido made on Arise Television, and which was later published in The Guardian newspaper.

Lamido had accused President Bola Tinubu of exploiting the June 12 pro-democracy movement for personal political gain during the annulment crisis. He described the President as a “soldier of fortune” rather than a genuine advocate of the people’s mandate. The former governor also lamented Nigeria’s current economic hardship, rising insecurity, and low public morale, noting that politics appears to have overshadowed governance just halfway into Tinubu’s tenure.

Commenting on Afenifere’s role, Lamido claimed: “Afenifere believed that for any Yoruba to rise to the national level, it must be through them. I think that is also Tinubu’s crime—for making it to the presidency outside Afenifere.”

In response, Babalola accused Lamido of offering shallow analysis.

“Lamido is looking only at the surface, as all sophists do,” he said. “Afenifere is guided by the principles of justice, fairness, social democracy, and welfarism.”

According to him, it is not that Afenifere believes every Yoruba ascent to power must come through it, but rather that governance everywhere must be anchored on equity and inclusion.

“This has been Afenifere’s consistent ideological standard since the days of the Action Group. If Tinubu were to abandon neo-liberal policies and embrace welfarist ideals, including economic and political restructuring, Afenifere would commend him. It’s not personal; it’s ideological—a concept Lamido may struggle to grasp,” he said.

Babalola further rejected the notion that Afenifere joined the June 12 struggle to ride on public sentiment or reclaim political relevance.

“Afenifere supported Abiola not because he was Yoruba, but because the annulment of June 12 violated justice. If the injustice had happened to someone from another region, Afenifere would have acted the same way.”

He added that Afenifere was deeply involved in forming the Social Democratic Party (SDP) through a merger with Shehu Musa Yar’Adua’s People’s Democratic Movement (PDM).

*”Before June 12, both Abiola and Afenifere had reconciled with Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Though Afenifere was sceptical about Babangida’s transition programme, it still stood firmly for justice. Even Olusegun Obasanjo was critical of that transition and wrote a comprehensive treatise titled ‘Constitution for National Integration and Development.’”

He linked that same scepticism to Bola Ige’s famous ‘siddon look’ posture and noted that it was the National Question that led Afenifere to back Abiola over NRC’s Bashir Othman Tofa.

Babalola then criticised Lamido for what he sees as hypocrisy.

“Lamido claims he speaks for the truth and not regional sentiment, and that he’s not part of a Northwest conspiracy. But by undermining the opposition and indirectly propping up the ‘soldier of fortune,’ he is guilty of what he accuses Tinubu of—allowing politics to overshadow governance.”

“Let’s not forget, Lamido abandoned the June 12 struggle and once declared that he didn’t join politics to serve Abiola. Today, Tinubu’s administration has perfected the art of splitting opposition groups—and opposition minds,” he stated.

In closing, Babalola warned that the opposition cannot successfully challenge the ruling party unless it unites behind reasoned principles.

“National rebirth is impossible with divided minds and fractured organisations. If Lamido is truly concerned about national rebirth, then it must be said—he’s shooting himself in the foot. Once again, he has become the horse for the ‘soldier of fortune,’” he said.