AFNF’s Spider-Man Meme Moment: Betrayal and a Hunger for Power Leave It Leaderless

Who would have imagined that Mere Wedajo’s Wello ADP could be this calculating, quietly scheming behind closed doors to undermine and divide Zemene Kassie’s Gojam ADP? Gojam ADP was too consumed by its rivalry with Habte’s Gonder ADP to notice the betrayal forming behind its back.

When the effort to form the Amhara Forces National Front (AFNF) began, their true agenda surfaced. The turning point came when Tefera Mamo was denied a leadership position despite having the votes. That single decision fractured the once-strong alliance between Gojam ADP and Wello ADP.

Before then, Wello ADP had played the role of loyal ally to Zemene Kassie masterfully. They made it seem like they would follow Zemene to the ends of the earth. Zemene’s hunger for power was never a secret. Habte’s ambition became clear when he abandoned AFPO despite holding a high-ranking position. Now, Wello’s hidden motives have finally been exposed.

I believe Gedu had a major influence. Until then, Mere Wedajo had been Zemene’s obedient foot soldier. He backed him up at every turn, insulting AFPO, Eskinder, Shewa Fano command, and so on. He even attacked AFPO Wello command fighters several times following Zemene’s command. In fact, many of the press statements he gave were designed and written by Zemene’s spokesperson Marshet Tsehayu.

But once Gedu reentered the picture and began talking to, lobbying, and mobilizing, he likely encouraged the Wello ADP factions, along with their supporters and activists, to stop playing second fiddle to Zemene and his faction and start demanding their share of power, just like Gojam ADP and Gonder ADP had done. That was what happened in AFNF. They knew Zemene being elected would be a problem, so they took the opportunity to nominate one of their own, which angered Zemene and his factions and made them feel betrayed.

The public reaction in the diaspora has been one of disillusionment and quiet rage. Honestly speaking, this whole idea of AFNF was pushed by the diaspora support group, a mixture of activists, journalists, and supporters. They are disconnected from the realities on the ground. Prior to the announcement of AFNF, when it was known that they could not choose a leader, all the hope they had disintegrated. But to keep some sort of hope alive, they just released a logo, a name, and a press release. They appeased the disappointment of the diaspora public and got them to cheer and deliberately promote an organization that does not exist. But it was deeply fractured to begin with, so it was only a matter of time before the divisions surfaced. The so-called leaders never liked or trusted each other, so it was never going to work.

Then, just yesterday, Zenabu, Zemene Kassie’s deputy, put the final nail in the coffin during an interview with Freepress Media. He flatly rejected Wello ADP’s agenda and accused Gedu of leaving Abiy’s administration not out of principle but out of frustration over lost power. He accused Gedu of being behind the assassination of Asamine Tsige. He even went so far as to implicate Gedu and his team in hijacking the Amhara cause in 2018 and handing it over to Abiy’s Oromumma agenda.

Zenabu further accused Gedu of trying to use Fano as a vehicle for his political comeback. He threw a subtle jab at Tefera Mamo, saying that while he has no personal issues with him and respects him, his vote during the AFNF leadership selection was purely strategic, based on who he believed was fit for the role. Zenabu also added that while he accepts the Welkayit issue as a core issue for the Amhara people, he also felt that Demeke Zewdu was using it as a scam to generate money for himself and his team.

Zenabu’s giving that interview made things worse because he is part of the AFNF leadership, and as such, all interviews should have been very cautious. His accusing the Wello ADP leaders denoted a direct attack and also shows the stance Gojam ADP has against Wello ADP. The Welkayit issue attacking Demeke will also upset some Gonder ADP. So his interview essentially fractured what was left of AFNF. Not that AFNF had meaningful presence or structure on the ground, but whatever hope was there, he put the last nail in the coffin. If it were a serious organization, all interviews, statements, and press releases should have gone through the PR committee of the organization. But like I said, AFNF does not have a structure or organization. It is a free-for-all, a collective leadership without any sort of political program.

The public reaction has been one of disillusionment and quiet rage. Many rank-and-file Fano fighters, once hopeful that a unified AFNF might offer strategic leadership, now view the group as a puppet theatre for ex-officials chasing lost glory. Activists and diaspora supporters have begun shifting their attention and resources elsewhere, often to localized or grassroots resistance efforts untainted by the egos of failed politicians. The credibility of all three groups, Gojam ADP, Wello ADP, and Gonder ADP, has suffered, and the sense of betrayal is palpable among ordinary Amhara youth, who are sacrificing everything on the battlefield while leaders play power games in safe rooms.

Now all three groups, Gojam ADP, Wello ADP, and Gonder ADP, are in a worse position than before the formation of the AFNF. They have never been united, and their divisions remain just as deep, if not deeper. Instead of collaboration, they attack each other, propagate misinformation, and generate internal chaos. They are stuck in a self-destructive loop, a classic case of the crabs in a barrel mentality. No faction is allowed to rise or lead without being pulled down by the others. The idea that one group might gain traction becomes an existential threat to the others, so they tear each other apart rather than confront the real enemy they all claim to oppose.

Like stated repeatedly, AFNF is just a name and a logo. It has no real organization, cohesion, or strategic foundation. This total failure to build a functioning structure has only deepened their resentment and insecurity toward the Amhara Fano People’s Organization (AFPO), which, despite its imperfections, has managed to maintain relevance and legitimacy on the ground. Their hostility toward AFPO is rooted in jealousy and fear of irrelevance, which is why they seek to undermine and destroy it.

The entire situation now resembles a tragic parody, almost like the classic Spider-Man meme. Three Spider-Men stand in a circle, each pointing at the other. Each faction insists it has the moral right and strategic vision to lead, but not one of them is willing to rise with humility, clarity, or a sense of sacrifice. None of them shows true leadership or grasps the seriousness of the moment. They remain fixated on personal ambition, superficial recognition, and short-term gain rather than the cause they claim to defend.

No one takes responsibility. The result is a cause that suffers deeply, left completely leaderless and adrift. In the end, they leave AFNF exactly as it was and still is: an empty shell, a hollow organization without power, vision, or purpose.