We’ve forgiven Buhari- Ajasin family

FAMILY of the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin,a former leader of the Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, said they have forgiven Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, for the detention of their father in 1984 under Buhari’s military administration.

The family cautioned the Peoples Democratic Party against using their late father’s arrest as a campaign to smear Buhari.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, said in Akure on Thursday that his late father, who was Ondo State governor from 1979 to the sacking of the second republic on December 31, 1983, forgave Buhari before his death.

He said, “It will be totally wrong for anybody to say that General Buhari jailed my father. No, that is not correct. It was true that my father was detained under Buhari’s military regime along with other former governors in Nigeria and two panels of enquiry were consequently set-up to look into the allegations against my father and others, but the panels found my father innocent and exonerated him as well.

“What Buhari did then was part of military policies and tradition. Though many Nigerians were not happy with that but my father had since forgiven Buhari before his demise.

“Let me also tell you that as far as the issue is concerned, the family of Ajasin had forgiven Buhari as well because as Christians we should learn and exhibit the spirit of forgiveness always. The Bible says father forgive us as we forgive those who offend us.”

Tokunbo said he met Buhari at a function sometime ago and that they happily embraced each other, indicating that all was well.

He said himself and his sister, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, were part of the crowd that received Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the Akure airport during his presidential campaign rally in Ondo State.

Also, the Ondo State Coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo presidential campaign, Mr. Ife Oyedele, accused the PDP of unduly capitalising on the Buhari/Ajasin saga to score cheap political points.

He said the APC as a progressive party should be more concerned about the welfare of Ajasin’s family than the PDP that was antagonistic of the interest of the Yoruba race.

“You cannot cry more than the bereaved. We are happy that the Ajasin family has come to clear the air on this issue,” Oyedele said.