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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The All Progressives Congress(APC) in Osun State has berated former governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola, for claiming that his successor, Adegboyega Oyetola, reneged on the reconciliatory agreements brokered by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Tuesday, the APC chairman in the state, Tajudeen Lawal, debunked Aregbesola’s claims that an agreement was reached on August 26, 2021 that his faction would be given one-third of the appointments in Oyetola’s administration.
Lawal asserted that Aregbesola was making a reference to the agreement he reached with the Adeleke dynasty as the APC did not win the 2022 governorship election in Osun State. He added that it was not surprising that Aregbesola’s faction was accorded one-third of appointments in Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration.
“To the best of my knowledge, the only agreement, endorsed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande happened in December 2020 and Aregbesola reneged on the spirit and letter of the said agreement.
“At the end of the meeting, it was Aregbesola who prepared the contents of the resolutions and gave it to our Baba, Chief Bisi Akande, to vet before it was passed on to the leaders of the party. And part of the agreement was that there would be an automatic ticket for Oyetola and that while Oyetola would be allowed to face governance without interference from any quarters, the trio of Chief Bisi Akande, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola will lead, guide, coordinate and administer the party as the apex body.
“But during the primaries, Aregbesola sponsored Alhaji Moshood Adeoti against Oyetola, contrary to the agreement reached. Oyetola won the election. The same Aregbesola went to court with Adeoti to challenge the outcome of the primary. He also sponsored 10 different cases in various courts to challenge the nomination of Oyetola as the candidate of the APC.
“Before then, he held a parallel congress and pushed unsuccessfully to have a validly elected chairman of the party replaced with his factional chairman.
“As if that was not enough, Aregbesola went ahead to sponsor three different candidates against Oyetola in the governorship election. So, who betrayed each other?” Lawal said.