Oyetola, Aregbesola Set For Showdown Over Clash Of Events In Osun This Week

The simmering feud between Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and his predeces­sor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior, may escalate this week and plunge the state into crisis, Daily Inde­pendent has gathered.

Credible sources said de­spite belonging to the same political family, the relationship between Oyetola and Aregbe­sola has “seriously collapsed and several efforts made to reconcile both men within and outside the state have failed to achieve the desired result”.

Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, the source, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is among those brokering peace between the duo, said while Oyetola, who was sworn in on November 27, 2018 has rolled out plans to mark his second anniversary, Aregbes­ola, on the other hand has also rolled out plans to celebrate 10 years of progressive gover­nance in Osun State.

According to him, even though the 10 years covers the eight-year tenure of Aregbesola as governor and Oyetola’s two years in office, the state government is not in the know as only the minister and his loyalists are the ones putting the plans together.

“The truth is, the situation is getting out of hand between the governor and the minister. We have been trying to man­age it but the truth is that the attitude of some of these key players hasn’t been helpful.

“The Osun State govern­ment will clock two years in office this week. The state gov­ernment has lined up some activities which includes commissioning of projects. However, we received reports that the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Aregbesola is also coming to Osun this week to celebrate what they called ‘10 Years of Progressive Gover­nance in Osun’ without con­sulting with the governor.

“We felt since they are both members of the same politi­cal party and family, if you are celebrating 10 years of APC coming to power in Osun, it is the responsibility of the state government to do that, not an individual; or at best, there should be a synergy between the incumbent governor and his predecessor. But I can categorically tell you that the minister is doing it without recourse to the governor.

“From intelligence report we have gathered, there is no way there won’t be crisis if both events take place at the same time because the sup­porters in both camps are al­ready threatening showdown. It was even alleged that some supporters of the minister masterminded the attack on the governor and his convoy last month using the #End­SARS protest as a cover. Many had alleged that the minister is remotely connected to the attack.

“We have appealed to the minister to shelve his event for some days to allow the state government celebrate the second anniversary this week but he won’t budge”.

Also speaking, a former Commissioner in Osun State, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said President Mu­hammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other APC leaders should call Aregbeso­la to order and allow peace to reign in the state. According to him, the minister has been unhappy over his failure to “entrench him­self as the political godfather of the state”.

He said Aregbesola was embittered that Oyetola reversed some of his policies such as the education policy which many residents of the state considered as “anti-people”.

He also said five days to the end of his tenure as governor, Aregbesola launched Osun Development Plan 2019-2028, a 10-year development plan which he wanted to foist on Oyetola, adding that the gov­ernor as a financial expert also has his own development plans.

“We are appealing to Pres­ident Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other APC lead­ers to call Aregbesola to order. Coming to Osun to celebrate 10 years of progressive gover­nance in Osun, the same week the state government is plan­ning to celebrate two years in office is just an avenue to cause trouble in the state.

“They are planning to bring in thugs from Ede, Ibadan, Ilesa and other plac­es to cause crisis in the state. Aregbesola is also planning to use his influence as Min­ister of Interior to bring in paramilitary officers such as Civil Defence, Immigration, Prisons and so on. There is no way the relative peace being enjoyed in the state will not be shattered if he is allowed to go ahead with his programme”, he said.

However, when contacted, Media Adviser to Aregbeso­la, Mr. Sola Fasure, who con­firmed that his principal is planning to celebrate 10 years of progressive governance in Osun, said that Governor Oye­tola is aware and is also part of the programme.

He also said those accusing the minister of plotting to destabilise the state are mis­chief makers, adding that the relationship between Aregbe­sola and Oyetola is cordial.

“Yes, he is planning to cel­ebrate it. This is the 10th an­niversary of bringing in pro­gressive government to Osun. That includes eight years of his own tenure and two years of the current administra­tion. Is there anything wrong with that? Sincerely, I don’t even think we should be de­bating that.

“Like I said, it is 10 years of progressive administration which started with him as governor in 2010 and ended in 2018. It also includes two years of the present government. So, why would he now bring in thugs to disrupt the state?

“If he is celebrating 10 years of his tenure and that of his successor, which is an offshoot of his own tenure, why would he plan to disrupt it? It is just pure mischief to say he is planning to disrupt the state, a state for which he laboured. He spent four years to reclaim his mandate from PDP; then he spent eight years as governor, so why will he now be destabilising the state.

“I don’t think there is any crisis between the governor and the minister. His rela­tionship with the governor is cordial. They speak regularly irrespective of what you hear in the media. They also belong to the same political family of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“The 10th year of that administration is significant, symbolic and it is worth cel­ebrating. I also believe that Governor Oyetola is also part of it”, he said.

Reacting, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, said neither the party nor his principal was aware of the proposed celebration of 10th year anniversary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State. 

“The only thing I know is that we are planning our second year anniversary. I am a member of the committee. The party in the State also has representatives in that committee. There is no such programme in our lineup. Can you shave someone’s head behind him?

“Fasure is being economical with the truth by saying that that Governor Oyetola is part of the planned celebration. He should step forward and present further evidence to back his false claims or forever remain silent,” Omipidan said.