Aregbesola Seeks Ambode Treatment For Oyetola As Gov, Minister Clash Over Shooting

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has called on members of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Osun State to vote for a former Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, in the party’s governorship primary holding on Saturday

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The ruling party in Osun State is divided between Governor Gboyega Oyetola and Aregbesola and each faction will hold sperate primary election.

Aregbesola said if an incumbent governor in Lagos State could be denied a second term ticket because he did not do well, the people should do the same thing in Osun State.

Former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, was defeated by the incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the APC primary election in 2019.

The minister spoke in Ijebu Jesa on Monday while addressing APC members ahead of the Saturday primary poll.

A statement issued on Monday night by his media aide, Sola Fasure, quoted Aregbesola as saying he and his supporters were ready to reclaim the APC from those abusing his legacies.

Aregbesola said “Anyone who was with us when we started the journey to reclaim Osun for the progressives in 2004 would know we fought very hard for this victory we have today. We went through several challenges then but through thick and thin, we were able to succeed. This time around, we will succeed.

“We are ready to allow a free flow of democratic process to interplay here. We are not those who play God. We are resolute about reclaiming our party from those who think they can continue to abuse our legacies or even want us to be second fiddles in the party we worked and laboured for. This is our pride and we will sustain it.

“Let me tell you that God is with us. I urge all of our supporters to come all out and back us. Do not have any fears. We are the authentic APC in Osun. If in Lagos, the governor did not do well and the party decided not to return him for a second term, why can’t it be so in Osun? They know what they have done to us is bad and they want to continue the impunity. We will not accept it.

“Do not be disturbed by their threats. Come out en-masse and vote for our aspirant. Insha Allah, Adeoti is the next governor of Osun. We should all support him.”

But the governor and the minister have engaged in war of words following the shooting which occured in Osogbo on Monday night as Aregbesola was passing through the capital city.

Many residents of the area said they did not know what caused the shooting and had to flee to avoid being hit by bullets.

The Commissioner for Information, Funke Egbemode, in a public service announcement aired said some
“misguided cowards have invaded Osogbo, the Osun State capital with armed thugs to foment trouble.

“These miscreants and their kingpin started shooting as they raced through the town.

“Their interest is simply to attempt to thwart the peace of the state and create fear in the minds of the good people of Osun counting on a long-lost influence.

“The Government of Osun hereby warns that there are no sacred cows in the state. No one is above the law here regardless of their past glories or future aspirations. Security agencies have been well briefed about the activities of these mischief makers, who have set themselves on a collision course with the law.”

But a former Commissioner for Environment in Osun State, who is also a close ally of the minister, Bola Ilori, claimed that hoodlums working for Oyetola opened fire on Aregbesola and Adeoti’s convoy.

He, however,said in a Facebook post that the miscreants were repelled by security agents attached to the minister..

The post read, “Only a lazy man starts a wrestling match with cutlass and guns – Aregbe!!!

“Oyetola thugs fired several gunshots at Aregbesola’s, Adeoti (Sheu) convoy after declaring his preferred choice for governorship. The attackers were repelled by combined efforts of Police, DSS, NSCDC etc and luckily no casually was recorded.”