Aregbesola breaks ranks with Tinubu and Oyetola supporting a rival candidate in Osun primaries

INTERIOR minister Rauf Aregbesola has broken ranks with several of his leading political associates including his benefactor and presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu after he lashed out at what he termed the politics of godfatherism.

Back in 1999 when Asiwaju Tinubu was elected Lagos State governor, he appointed Mr Aregbesola as one of his commissioners. From there on he was Mr Aregbesola's backer as he got elected Osun State governor, serving for two terms of eight years between 2010 and 2018.

In 2018, both Asiwaju Tinubu and Governor Aregbesola backed the incumbent Osun State governor Gboyega Oyetola to come to office. With elections looming and Governor Oyetola seeking to return to office and Asiwaju Tinubu after the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), it appears that Mr Aregbesola has broken ranks and is not supporting either of them.

Speaking at an APC rally in the Ijebu Ijesha area of Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship primaries, Mr Aregbesola declared that he trusted Asiwaju Tinubu but the former Lagos State governor repaid him with betrayal. He added that Nigeria has had enough of the politics of godfatherism and enthronement by treacherous leaders who equated themselves to the status of a god.

Mr Aregbesola accused Asiwaju Tinubu and former Osun State governor Bisi Akande, of foisting Governor Oyetola on the people of Osun State against popular will. He also accused the incumbent governor of not consolidating on his eight-year achievements, calling on party members in Osun to support a former secretary to the state government, Moshood Adeoti, in Saturday’s governorship primary.

He also said just as ex-governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, was rejected by APC members in 2019 for working against the laid down rules, Governor Oyetola would be thrown out of office after just a term. In addition, the minister, who declared that the present administration in the state had deviated from the true tenets of the APC, also accused those at the helms of affairs of jettisoning true democracy and the principles which the party and its heroes stand for.