A Former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has explained the controversy surrounding The All Progressives Congress in the State.
Aregbesola clarified this during an event, he said there are so many controversies and lots of misunderstanding surrounding his refusal to participate in All Progressives Congress campaign for the second term bid of his successor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
The former Minister of interior accused Oyetola of reneging on agreement reached at a reconcilation meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu.
Aregbesola said” The meeting started around 10pm and ended around 3am.
We can’t say we are more than you, and we are giving you the regards that you’re in power, we are talking of the future positions, give us one-third and take the remaining. Our leader said we surprised him with our demands.
“My condition was that if you want us to help you campaign for your votes, there are some things you must do and follow according to my procedures.
“The meeting came to an end and we planned our movements. We worked accordingly in order to campaign for those votes, but this was what we heard when they started campaigning for votes, their spokesperson who spoke on OSBC said that any body that they didn’t invite, and that come to the campaign ground that whatever he or sees, he should accept it.
“In their second year, they said it was because of our cooperation with them that was why they didn’t claim the victory they were supposed to win in the first place.
“In November 2020, they started the ebola campaign, that we didn’t pay workers salaries, we didn’t pay pension, that it was the reason for their struggles at the beginning.
“We also wanted to join them for their second anniversary, they said if we come, there will be trouble, that was why we didn’t go.
“We also mourn the death of Akeredolu, he was among the pioneers during this times, he ended”.
Reacting to the statement, the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress described the statement as unfortunate, stating that Aregbesola as architect of his misfortune.
Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, the Chairman of the party in a statement on Sunday said Oyetola is the man of peace.
He said, “If it is true that Mr Rauf Aregbesola actually stated what was credited to him at the end of the year party of his renegade supporters in Ilesa, it is quite unfortunate. What we can only say is that it is an impossible utopia for a leopard to change its colour.
“Rauf can never change as what is in the blood can not be out of the flesh. Who between Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola and the ever cantankerous and garrullous Aregbesola is a man of peace? The answer is obvious.
“Was it Oyetola who was instrumental to the 30-month half salaries owed by the Aregbesola administration? Was it Oyetola who prevailed on Aregbesola to make an obnoxious consideration not to appoint those who assisted him to reclaim his victory by unilaterally outlawing anyone who was over 50 years old not to be appointed into his cabinet except the Attorney-General of the state, the Right Honourable Speaker of the House of Assembly, Barr Wale Afolabi?
