Osun: Aregbesola dares Tinubu, backs Adeoti as APC holds primary

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbosola is not backing down on his fight with Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun state who is the anointed candidate of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.

The APC will today hold its governorship primary in Osun State, and Aregbosola is said to be supporting Moshood Adeoti, a former chairman of the party in the state against the incumbent governor, Oyetola who is said to be a cousin to Tinubu.

Aregbesola has vowed that the incumbent would not be allowed to serve another term.

Also in the race is a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf.

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Tension has been on the rise since the beginning of the week when Aregbesola at the APC stakeholders meeting held at Ijebu-Jesha, declared Adeoti as his aspirant for the governorship position and asked members of the party to support him.

The camps of Oyetola and Aregbesola have also engaged in a hot exchange of words over the crises in the party.

Speaking in Ikire during the last rally held by Aregbesola’s faction, the former governor accused Oyetola of waging war against him since he was elected governor.

He had said, “I begged him (Oyetola) for two years. I told him that people must not mock us.  I told him that he was heading towards destruction. I served this state with the whole of my heart. I also positioned Oyetola so that he could succeed me in office.

“All that I warned him not to do was what he did. He opposed what I did, all the things I did together with him for eight years, and he opposed and reversed them. He thought he could destroy me through my work; nobody was pushing him, he was the one pushing himself.

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“When I observed that he would not listen, I called people together and said that they should start telling people that progressives’ families must not be destroyed.

“When Adeoti was angry with us, he did not abuse us. When we refused to do his will, he protested but he never cursed us. We have realised our mistake. That is why we gave him the ticket for our caucus.”

But responding, Special Adviser to the governor on Political Affairs, Sunday Akere, said Aregbesola only expressed personal opinion, insisting that Oyetola did not fight his predecessor.

He said, “Our former principal only expressed a personal opinion which no one was privy to. Oyetola did not fight him. He declared that Oyetola’s tenure was his third term and he wanted to be in charge.