RAUF AREGBESOLA IS OUR UNDISPUTABLE LEADER IN APC.
We welcome you to this media parley. The purpose of our meeting with you is to clear the air on the political shenanigan in Osun and the fallout from it in Lagos and to state our unflinching resolve.
You would have read in the media how some misguided youth in Lagos, precisely Alimosho, staged a protest and carried a political coffin purported to be of our beloved leader, father, brother, son and associate, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who is the Minister of Interior.
Aregbesola, as you all know, began his political career in Alimosho under the Lagos leadership of the late Dapo Sarumi where he met Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In 1991, while Aregbesola was an House of Representatives aspirant, Asiwaju was contesting for the Senate. Aregbesola lost the SDP primary by one vote.
Asiwaju, who was just cutting his political teeth then, approached him to help with the Alimosho votes in the Lagos West primaries which he did, enabling him to become the candidate of the SDP and eventually won the election.
At the return of civil democratic rule in 1999, Asiwaju being fully convinced he was the man he needed asked him to head his governorship campaign. Aregbesola dexterously won him the Alliance for Democracy (AD) primary and governorship election against the candidature of the very formidable Chief Funso Williams and opposition of some powerful Afenifere chieftains.
Aregbesola’s political stock continues to rise, beyond Alimosho, covering Lagos State and beyond, culminating in his election as governor of his home state, Osun, where he served two terms.
His re-election in 2014, you will recall, was epochal. He contested against a formidable PDP candidate and the Federal Government that backed him up with cash, security agencies and Niger Delta militants. But with the support of the people of Osun, he defeated them all in a landslide win.
Among his exploits were winning the entire Lagos state for Asiwaju in every election since 2003 and being the only South West state won by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of the CAN in the 2011 presidential election. He was still able to win the governorship election of 2018 for his successor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, despite his not being a popular candidate and not coming from the preferred zone.
You will also note that he became minister by the grace of God and the goodwill of President Muhammadu Buhari who preferred him to the nominee from his state, without support from Asiwaju.
His political rise and exploits, no doubt has not gone down well with some people in Lagos who are sworn to pull him down. From time immemorial, they have been sowing seeds of discord between him and Asiwaju but their efforts hitherto have been fruitless. Regrettably, however, they have now succeeded in poisoning the mind of Asiwaju against him, leading to the crisis of confidence between them. It is our hope and prayer that they will iron out their differences and become a formidable team again.
These enemies within have now used the crisis in Osun to maximum advantage. Let us ask them: where were they when Rauf was making enemies on behalf of Asiwaju and taking bullets for him? They have been lurking in the shadows, of no use to themselves, Asiwaju and the party. They falsely think that Rauf’s loss will be their gain. They are grossly mistaken.
By fraudulently acquiring the leadership of APC in Alimosho, all they have is an empty shell, as the people and structure are intact and fully with Rauf. Election will soon be around and they will know their worth.
Their campaign of calumny against Rauf will fail and they will eat the bread of shame and drink the wine of disgrace. Aregbesola is not your mate. He towers head and shoulder above you. He is God’s anointed. A thousand hoes’ conspiracy against the mountain will end in failure. Their teethes will be broken; their handles will cut into a thousand pieces.
We are also sounding a note of warning to them. Nothing must happen to Rauf Aregbesola. We shall hold them responsible. We are ready to follow him to war and fight on his behalf against any foe. We shall use everything at our disposal to defend one (or any) of our own in the face of any diabolical attack.
Thank you once again for being here.
