Aregbesola Plans to Spend N250m on Solidarity Rally – Osun PDP Alleges

By Fisayo Oyeyinka

Osun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of planning to spend a sum of N250m on a proposed solidarity rally by his supporters.

The PDP alleged the governor of releasing the sum to a socio-political organisation called Oranmiyan Democrats, ‘to organise a solidarity walk aimed at buoying up his sagging image among the citizenry of the state.’

According to the PDP in a press statement signed by the state Chairman, Hon Soji Adagunodo today – Tuesday, the group has been recruiting youths to participate in the said rally, adding that some billboards have also been erected in different parts of the state to notify the people.

Adagunodo stated that the billboards offend the sensibilities of the poor masses of the state, ‘most of who are groaning under the pains of several months of unpaid salary arrears, lack of drugs in public hospitals, impassable rural roads and a general state of poverty occasioned by the poor economic management of the Aregbesola’s administration.’

The party enjoined well meaning leaders of thought in the state to call the Governor to order so as to avoid a further depletion of the scarce resources of the state on what he described as ‘vainglorious, Ill-timed and certainly needless rallies.’

The statement reads: “An elected government does not require this kind of make belief rallies to prove its acceptability, if it is indeed fulfilling the mandate of the electorate. What the planned rally shows clearly is that Ogbeni Aregbesola is conscious of the fact that the people of Osun state are fed up with his style of governance and are desirous of a new lease of life.

“Even members of Aregbesola’s own political party are speaking out loudly against his misrule. Public servants, traditional rulers, the judiciary and professional bodies are all in one accord on the fact that Osun has never had it this bad. No amount of propaganda through a rented crowd will change public opinion about this administration.”