We’ve forgiven Buhari, says 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.