Political activist and human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, said he has formally withdrawn from the Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, ending an association that began in 1998.

In a statement titled “My Exit from Afenifere,” Farotimi declared yesterday that he has severed all ties with the organisation and its leadership, stressing that Afenifere’s leadership would no longer represent his views.

Recalling that his association with the group began in 1998, when he served as the pioneer chairman of Binukonu, Farotimi described his involvement with Afenifere as an important part of his public engagement and contribution to the country’s political and social aspirations.

Against this background, he expressed gratitude for the experiences, opportunities and the platform it provided him to contribute to collective aspirations.

However, he said he had decided to end the relationship, stressing that Afenifere‘s leadership would no longer represent his views.

Though Farotimi declined to disclose the circumstances that informed his departure, he described his decision as painful but necessary.

His departure notwithstanding, Farotimi maintained that his commitment to the ideological principles associated with Afenifere remains unchanged, adding that he would continue to pursue a nation founded on the social democratic principles of the Action Group and Afenifere.