By Temidayo Akinsuyi

Efforts by the National Reconciliation Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to reconcile Osun State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, and his predecessor Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Interior, ahead of the governorship election slated for Saturday, July 16, 2022, has further deepened the crisis rather than resolve it, Daily Independent has gathered.

The committee, headed by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State, had visited Osun last week where it met with the Governor Oyetola and loyalists of Aregbesola, who are operating under the aegis of The Osun Progressives (TOP).

The Adamu-led committee had promised to ensure fair hearing, equity and justice in carrying out its assignment in the state. It also said it would attend to palpable, contentious matters, treat petitions and elicit responses after which a report would be made in line with the directive of the leadership of the party at the national level.

However, speaking during the inauguration of the Digital Nigeria Centre in Ijesa Muslim Grammar School, Ilesa last week, Aregbesola publicly said the APC in Osun is divided and he belonged to the TOP faction.

He said, “For anybody who seeks to know, the APC is divided in Osun. We have APC of Rauf Aregbesola, which is chaired by Mr. Razaq Salinsile, and the other. Everybody is doing his or her own, later, we will reorganise, we will rearrange everything.

“The caucus that produced our faction is called The Osun Progressives chaired by Elder Lowo Adebiyi. People who are in doubt, thinking whether I am part of the TOP or not should listen, I belong to TOP”.

However, Prince Gboyega Famodun, the chairman of the Osun APC loyal to Oyetola described Aregbesola as an ingrate committed to destabilising the platform that projected him to limelight.

He said, “The Osun APC is too strong for Aregbesola to break. His recent statement in Ilesa has reduced his status as a former governor, and as a serving minister of a party, he claims to belong to”.

Also speaking with Daily Independent, a chieftain of the party who is loyal to Oyetola said one of the conditions given by Aregbesola was that the controversial single uniform policy which plunged schools in Osun State into crisis during his tenure but was reviewed by Oyetola should be continued.

He also said the minister wants some of his loyalists who he said have been marginalised despite their contributions to APC’s victory in the 2018 governorship election that produced Oyetola should be given appointments.

“Aregbesola is angry and opposed to any genuine reconciliation because he felt Oyetola has outshined him and dwarfed his eight years achievements in less than three years. In the history of Osun State, there is no year that civil servants don’t go on strike, that has not happened in the last three years since Oyetola took over.

“Aregbesola’s influence in Osun politics has seriously waned since he left office but he has refused to realise that fact. He thinks that he is the same person that was governor three, four years ago.

“All the people that matter in Osun APC are with Oyetola today. We have Papa Bisi Akande, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Basiru Ajibola, Ambassador Adejare Bello, and many other top leaders including serving lawmakers both at federal and state levels, traditional rulers and local government chairmen at the grassroots.

“Aregbesola is from Ilesha but the paramount ruler in the area, Owa Obokun, has refused any meeting with him in the last three years. Even all the Iyalojas who were formerly with him are now with Oyetola.

“The three former deputy governors of Osun state, Sooko Adeleke Adewoyin, Iyiola Omisore and Titi Laoye-Tomori are with Oyetola. In the Elders Council, out of 25 members, Aregbesola has just one. Even that one has been suspended.

“How many people are with Aregbesola in Osun APC today? They are former commissioners, former speakers and so on”.

Also speaking, a former senator in the state who is also with Oyetola said while they desire unity in APC, reconciling with Aregbesola may spell doom for the party just like it was in 2018 when the people of Osun almost voted out the party.

The senior politician, who asked not to be named, said, “We can say a united APC is needed in Osun when there is a serious faction in the state. But right now, there is none. All those who matter are with Oyetola. Even the NURTW members boycotted a meeting called by Aregbesola last week Friday.

“If we reconcile with Aregbesola today, we will lose the next governorship election because it will affect us negatively. Part of Aregbesola’s demands is that the school uniform policy that was reviewed by Oyetola should be restored. If we review the school policy back to how it was under Aregbesola when there was serious religious crisis in the state and students wear various religious regalia to schools, do you think the people will vote for us?

“Three factors usually determine the outcome of Osun governorship election. Number one are the civil servants. Number two are the performance of the government in the areas of critical infrastructures that meet the needs of the people and number three is the political structure and religious bias of the people of the state.

“There are more Muslims in Osun but the Christians are usually in the majority as opinion moulders. APC in Osun usually lose some towns during elections because there are more Christians there. Look at the 2014 governorship results. Majority of where we lost are Christian dominated areas.

“The Christians in Osun believed Aregbesola came to cause confusion in the state, so they usually campaigned against APC. But they saw Oyetola as a different person and he has been receiving endorsements from them”.

When contacted, Sola Fasure, Aregbesola’s Media Aide refused to speak with Daily Independent, saying he doesn’t want to join issues with the state government.

However, Adelani Baderinwa, secretary of TOP, the faction Aregbesola belongs to accused the state government of telling lies about what happened during the reconciliation meeting.

He said, “They have been wicked and untruthful in all of the things they talk about. Their mischief has been profound. The minister was not part of the reconciliation meeting. They only can tell you where they got the lies from”.
https://independent.ng/osun-guber-2022-why-aregbesola-oyetolas-reconciliation-failed/

I see

aregbe wonna claim gf ni?

Baba Kamoru having his ass bleeped by Oyetola

Aregbesola will have Oyetola and Tinubu to contend with. let's wait and see what happens

Yes like Lai in Kwara

insidelife22:
aregbe wonna claim gf ni?

E

nairavsdollars:
Yes like Lai in Kwara

Katakata everywhere you go

Only In APC

slivertongue:
Katakata everywhere you go

slivertongue:
Katakata everywhere you go

I tell you.
-Gov.Oyetola versus Aregbejegbese(Osun).
-Abdurrahaman versus Lai Mohammmed(Kwara).
-Hope Uzodinjo versus Rochas Okorocha/Ararume(Imo).
-Gandollar versus Shekarau faction(Kano).

Asiwaju Tinubu is on top of it. Everything will be alright las las.
Politics comes with its own dynamics but the good news about the kind of APC politics in Osun is that development is still at the forefront. It's not about let's loot the treasury.

lol at aregbejegbese

Racoon:
I tell you.
-Gov.Oyetola versus Aregbejegbese(Osun).
-Abdurrahaman versus Lai Mohammmed(Kwara).
-Hope Uzodinjo versus Rochas Okorocha/Ararume(Imo).
-Gandollar versus Shekarau faction(Kano).

Aregbesola is a potential banana peel for Oyetola's reelection bid ! It will be in the best political interests of Oyetola to find a way of resolving whatever issue he might have with Aregbe. Aregbe remains a very strong pillar in the politics of Osun and as such cannot be easily rubbished or sidelined ! Somebody who fought and unseated a sitting Governor with military background and connections should not be underrated ! Brother Gboyega Famodun's verbal attack on the persons of Aregbe was needless and uncalled for. It only brought out the naiveties of Egbon as a politician !