A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Sunday Akere, has alleged that a former governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola frustrated the second term governorship ambition of his successor, Gboyega Oyetola as a means of preventing President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election.
Akere spoke in Osogbo on Thursday while featuring on a programme organised by the League of Veteran Journalists, Osun State chapter.
He claimed that Aregbesola has been using Oyetola as a “soft sell” to fight his estranged political godfather, President Tinubu, claiming that the former Minister of Interior worked against the second term ambition of Oyetola in order to stop Tinubu from becoming President.
“The issue is not between Oyetola and Aregbesola. Aregbe wanted to fight his boss and he saw Oyetola as a soft tool for him to use to fight his boss, that is, the President, Senator Bola Tinubu. Oyetola, the former governor, didn’t have anything to do with Aregbesola because they didn’t have any issue,” he stated.
The APC chieftain who served as a commissioner during Aregbesola’s tenure as governor in the state argued that the former Minister refused to be reconciled with Oyetola.
On how he got wind of Aregbesola’s alleged deep hatred for Tinubu, Akere said, “I was at a function sometimes ago, I think around June or July in Ifewara, Atakunmosa, I met one of their (Omoluabi Progressives) leaders, we spoke at length, it was that day that I knew that it seems they have made up their mind on what they wanted to do.
“The leader told me that day that APC is Tinubu’s party. I want to say it clearly now so that the press can report it and that they can come and challenge us. He said APC is Tinubu’s party and he (Aregbesola) doesn’t have anything to do with Tinubu. And I asked him, who amongst you did not benefit from Tinubu? That day, he used another word and I know by the time he is reading this, he will remember and I reported him to most of our leaders that this is what this man said because I was so much embittered, we are making efforts to resolve this thing and you are still dragging it to another level.
“That day, he said if it can take Tinubu over 20 years to get to the level which he is in Nigeria today, he doesn’t mind if it takes him (Aregbesola) 20 years to take over power and I said on which platform? Today, Nigeria has two major parties, APC and PDP, if you say you want a third party here in Osun, I said he will just be wasting his time. Some of them said they cannot do PDP but me; I am convinced within myself that they are still working for PDP. One of them was removed from position a few days ago; another one of the TOP was to replace him yesterday. If you (Aregbesola) as a leader that has about 400 or 500 supporters said you voted for APC but your supporters can vote for another party of their choice.”
Expressing displeasure over the delay in the national leadership of APC to take decisive steps on the alleged anti-party activities of Aregbesola, Akere said, “we have written to the national secretariat, those that we feel they don’t want to retrace their steps are on suspension, those that have taken appointments have been expelled from the party, but for Ogbeni, the leader, the constitution of the party did not allow the party at the state to discipline anybody of a governor’s rank. So, we made recommendations to the national secretariat which we have since done.
“When I saw the video last week, I sent it to Baba Akande that he should see the people we are still harbouring as party members. We don’t know what is delaying the national secretariat or the leadership from taking decisions because they are the only ones that can suspend, expel or discipline former governors. It is even good they are doing what they are doing because they are deceiving people that they are still with us and now everybody knows you are no longer part of the party and they should go to where they belong. I want to assure you that that will not affect our chances and fate in the 2026 governorship election by the grace of God. APC is still intact and will get power in Osun.
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