How APC members Deny Aregbesola in Osun

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has claimed that it does not know to which party the former governor and ex-interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, belongs.

The party members who gathered to welcome Senator Ajibola Basiru to the state after four years of representing Osun Central in the 9th Senate, unanimously chorused to the question posed to them by the ex-lawmaker on which party Aregbesola belongs to.

The immediate past spokesperson of the Senate had stated that Aregbesola was once a leader, saying his absence in all the primaries and elections of the party from the wards, state, and national called for question to know which party he now belongs to.

Basiru who served as two-term commissioner of Regional Integration as well as Justice under Aregbesola’s administration, explained how he warned his former principal not to form a faction in the party.

“In March 2021, I sent a written memo to the former minister where I advised him that no matter what issue or grievance you have, as a leader of the party, you should not engage in factionalization of the party. Before I got to Osogbo, they said Basiru is an opportunist whenever never lobbied for any political appointment from anybody.

“Well, as far as I’m concerned, our leaders today are Chief Bisi Akande and Adegboyega Oyetola. I was at Eagle Square for the primary that brought President Bola Tinubu, ask them what role did they play? If you now refer to Asiwaju as your mentor and you did not play any role in your mentor to emerge, it is a moral question.

“Secondly, we had a governorship election in this state, they didn’t vote for the party. Senator Adeleke said, black and white, that they worked for him to emerge. Asiwaju contested the same day I contested, our former Minister was not around to vote. We had a House of Assembly election, and the same thing happened,” he added.

Asked why he did not list Aregbesola as a leader, Basiru said, “I’ve said that he was our leader. Today, I don’t know which party he belongs to. I voted for APC whether we win or not. Go and ask him, which party did he vote for during the governorship and presidential election and where did he vote? Today, I’m not sure whether he is still in the party. Members, are you sure he is still in the party?

Members of the party chorused no, we don’t know which party he belongs to as Basiru said, “Even Asiwaju Tinubu whom he claimed is his mentor and benefactor, he did not vote for him.”

Asked why he did not get the support of Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, where he hailed, the ex-legislator said, “I did not go to his palace to campaign. He has seized to be a monarch. He is an active and card-carrying member of the PDP.”

Highlighting his achievements and intervention in the last four years, Basiru enjoined party members to go back to their wards and continue with their meetings, vowing that the party will soon return to trenches and rescue power from the ruling PDP in the state.

THE SUN