BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The reelection bid of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State which culminated into his clinching of the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress on February 19, would not be forgotten whenever the names of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Rauf Aregbesola are mentioned.
Oyetola’s aspiration for second term in office provided Aregbesola, the nation’s Minister of Interior, the opportunity to pursue a vendetta against his former godfather, Tinubu. The former governor of Osun State, while speaking in Ilesa during a stakeholders’ meeting he convoked to canvass votes for his preferred governorship aspirant, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, had claimed that he was compelled to support Oyetola to contest the 2018 gubernatorial election under APC in the state.
Aregbesola, it was gathered, had wanted to pick Adeoti as his successor but Tinubu prevailed on him to work for the emergence of Oyetola, said to be a blood relation of the former governor of Lagos State. But after Oyetola emerged governor of the state, the minister disclosed that he (Oyetola) waged war against him, destroyed his legacies in the state and also ostracised his core loyalists in government and party activities.
The minister had insisted that Oyetola should forget governing Osun a second time because the same treatment that Tinubu and his group meted out to former Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, when the latter derailed, will be given to him because he (Oyetola) has derailed and betrayed him. He called Oyetola a traitor and betrayer. Aregbesola said he begged Oyetola not to wage war against him and even sent people to beg the governor on his behalf, but Oyetola allegedly ignore all entreaties.
Aregbesola did not spare Tinubu, who mentored and made him politically relevant. He did not only denounce his mentor, but described the presidential hopeful in unprintable and venomous terms. Aregbesola accused his estranged godfather of deceit and pride, and went on to solicit God to punish and dethrone Tinubu for refusing to call Oyetola to order when the latter was allegedly busy rubbishing his legacies and policies. It was also gathered that the feud between Aregbesola and Tinubu had been simmering since last year when Aregbesola’s bid to control the nerve centre of the Lagos APC (Alimosho) was thwarted by Tinubu. But Aregbesola decided to fight the two blood relations (Tinubu and Oyetola) together.
While addressing party faithful before the just held Osun APC primary, the minister, who spoke in Yoruba, subtly blasted Tinubu and said the presidential aspirant will be brought down since he had equated himself with God.
The minister said, “It is possible some share your ideals and it’s also possible some do not. This happened in Lagos recently. There was a governor (Ambode) who wanted to seek re-election and the party declined and showed him the way out with their votes. So, the same way it was in Lagos then, is exactly the way it is in Osun today. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. It cannot be the turn of your younger brother now and you change the rules.
“We took over government on November 27, 2010 and by 28th, we announced that whoever sought revenge would be struck down by God. We only handed over to God, those who made us suffer. After we served for eight years, it wasn’t only party members that benefitted from our administration, the entire state did. I went everywhere in Osun with projects.
“However, by the time my successor (Oyetola) was handed over to me around May or July 2018, I was told, ‘Rauf, this is the ideal successor that would stand by you. He would further showcase your efforts. He would not betray you; he would not dim the light of your glory’. That was what the person, who handed him over to me said. If the person is listening to me, it would resonate with him, if he said so or not. But, did he do as he was vouched for? And when he reneged on these promises, did the person, who handed him over to me draw his attention to these failings?” Aregbesola asked rhetorically.
But Aregbesola failed to stop Oyetola from flying the party’s flag as his candidate, Adeoti was defeated with a landslide margin. Oyetola polled 222,169 votes to defeat Adeoti’s 12,921. The third aspirant, , Mr Lasun Yusuf, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, got 460. Aregbesola was absent at his Ilesa ward and he was defeated there by his successor. Adeoti, who hailed from Iwo, was also trounced in his hometown. Oyetola didn’t spare Yusuf’s ward.
Aregbesola and his factional APC in the state have rejected the results of the poll and alleged that it was marred with irregularities and considered legal action to redress it.
“See how you have been disgraced by Tinubu and Oyetola in Osun. Now is the time for you to expose your godfather, Tinubu. Tell the world his real name, his genuine age, and the secret behind his stupendous wealth. You know those secrets. Now, spill the beans!”
Aregbesola has started feeling the heat of his open fight against Tinubu and Oyetola. Political watchers disclosed that Aregbesola’s absence on the day of the governorship primary which he aggressively campaigned for, would signal his long absence in the state.
A political analyst, said, “The minister’s absence on the primary election day shouldn’t be a surprise because his life might be in danger. Remember that he recently escaped an attack in Osogbo when some thugs shot at his convoy during a road show he conducted, so, he might have sensed danger and that’s why he decided to leave the town. And one fact you have to know is that his coming to Osun won’t be soon. And I wonder where he would go to display his political might because Osun appears not to favour him as at this time and his Alimosho base has been overtaken from him. I hope he won’t be stranded. It’s not really easy to fight the power of incumbency.”
Recall that the minister is now being probed by the House of Representatives over usage of over N165 billion budgeted to the Nigeria Correctional Services (NCS) within the last two years. Political pundits stated that this may not be unconnected with the way he publicly dragged Tinubu through the mud and drew a battle line with the former Lagos governor.
“This is another trouble Aregbesola has to combat for drawing the battle line. They will fight him, no doubt. Remember that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila is a very strong supporter of Tinubu and he would not also want to keep his hands akimbo while his master is being embarrassed,” a political commentator said.
Some loyalists of Tinubu, on Sunday, displayed coffins that they had buried the political career of Aregbesola following the defeat he suffered at the Osun primary. The loyalists of the APC chieftain displayed the coffins in the Alimosho area of Lagos State.
Meanwhile, Reno Omokri, a former Presidential aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, has called on Aregbesola, to expose the secret behind the National Leader of the APC’s wealth. According to Omokri, a socio-political activist, who was reacting to the result of the APC primary in the state, if the minister fails to take action by crippling the political ambition of Tinubu and Oyetola, the duo may frustrate him after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Omokri urged Buhari’s Minister to expose the real age and other secrets Tinubu, a 2023 presidential candidate, may have been keeping from Nigerians.
He said, “See how you have been disgraced by Tinubu and Oyetola in Osun. Now is the time for you to expose your godfather, Tinubu. Tell the world his real name, his genuine age, and the secret behind his stupendous wealth. You know those secrets. Now, spill the beans! Because if you remain silent now, Oyetola and Tinubu will only grow politically stronger.
“And when Buhari goes in 2023, you will be naked with nobody to protect you. Imagine how miserable your life will be with Tinubu in Aso Rock and Oyetola in Osogbo.
“They both know many secrets (remember the Opon Imo contracts and the allegations against your son, Kabiru). They will have the Police, the EFCC, and the ICPC at their beck and call. Even if you run to London, you may receive the Ibori treatment.
“You see what I am doing to Buhari as #BuhariTormentor? Multiply that by a factor of ten. That is what they will do to you. So, better talk now, or be silenced after 2023.”
Although Aregbesola and his man were thoroughly defeated in the primary, he had vowed to ensure that Oyetola doesn’t taste second term when the July 16 governorship election comes.
As to be expected, Oyetola has called on his co-contestants in the primary election and other aggrieved members of the party to join hands with him in building the state and take it to greater heights.
Oyetola, in an acceptance speech he made after he emerged as the governorship candidate of the party, urged the aggrieved members to have a rethink in the interest of the state. Before now, the governor has extended hands of fellowship to aggrieved members, but neither of it has yielded any positive result as Oyetola’s loyalists would always throw tantrums at anyone feuding with him, both physically and on social media.
Time will tell if Aregbesola would survive the political storms that he is currently buffeting him.
