- Aregbesola, Oyetola War Escalates
By Abiola Olawale
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chapter of Osun State has announced its decision to suspend a two-term governor of the state and the immediate-past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, over allegations of anti-party activities.
The resolution to suspend Aregbesola was said to have been reached following a request from the Ilesa East Local Government APC Executive Committee.
The party executives of fhe Ilesa East LGA had purportedly petitioned the Osun State APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, to take action against Aregbesola, citing alleged involvement in actions that undermined the APC.
The committee, in a petition, accused Aregbesola of promoting factionalism and colluding with opposition parties, among other allegations. In response to the petition, the Osun State APC Executive Committee reportedly wrote to the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, apprising him of its decision to suspend Aregbesola and to establish a disciplinary panel to investigate the claims.
The letter which was dated October 22 was signed by Osun APC Chairman Lawal and Secretary Kamar Olabisi.
The letter reads in part: “Following complaints of anti-party activities leveled against Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola by the Ilesa East Local Government Executive Committee, the State Executive Committee (SEC), after reviewing the allegations and in accordance with the powers vested in it by Article 21(3)(vi)(c) of the party’s Constitution, hereby suspends Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from the party pending the outcome of an investigation.”
The New Diplomat reports that the alleged charges against Aregbesola include, factionalizing the APC by forming the Omoluabi Caucus splinter group; allegedly collaborating with opposition parties to destabilize the APC in Osun State; publicly criticizing party leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, and former Osun governor Gboyega Oyetola; refusing to participate in or support APC activities within the state; and refusing to vote for the party since the 2019 general elections.
It would be recalled that both Aregbesola and his successor, the incumbent Minister of Marine And Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, have been battling for control of the APC in Osun State.
The crisis had since festered leading into two factions, the one loyal to Aregbesola and the other loyal to Oyetola. However, insiders say Aregbesola controls about 70% of APC structure in Osun state with the people strongly loyal to him.
It would be recalled also that the faction of the party loyal to Oyetola had announced that the erstwhile minister of Interior was a distraction in the party and ceased to be a member of the party.
However, Aregbesola had continued to emphasized that his faction controls the soul and body of APC in Osun state and plays more significant role in deciding the state’s election fortunes than any other group in the state.
