Fourth Republic
Awoniyi was one of the founding members of the People's Democratic Party. He attempted to become chairman in 1999, but was unsuccessful. The party under Chairman Barnabas Gemade expelled him and six others in 2001 for "anti party activities", but reinstated them later that year.
He later became Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a northern political organization commonly viewed as exclusively Hausa-Fulani by some from southern Nigeria; questioned about his acceptance of this position, he said he was "brought up in my own part of the world to act well our part wherever we may find ourselves." He held the chairmanship until his death.
Awoniyi opposed the Third Term Agenda proposed by supporters of outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo in favor of his re-election, and was attacked at his Abuja house on March 12, 2006 during the debate. In April 2006, he wrote an open letter to Obasanjo, saying "I beg of you, for your own good and for our country's good, make a simple announcement to say that you are not interested in a Third Term and that you plan to go back to Otta in 2007."
Read more about this topic: Sunday Awoniyi, Political Career
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