By Olusegun Olanrewaju

Oyetola to ex-gov: You can’t determine my fate on re-election

The war of words over positions allegedly taken by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the Osun State crisis festered yesterday as the two former foot soldiers of the presidential aspirant traded accusations of betrayal.

One of Tinubu’s key loyalists, his ex-commissioner in Lagos who later became Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, kicked off the dust on Monday, with verbal missiles alleging that his erstwhile political master was ‘trying to play God’.

Newspaper headlines screamed, with varying degrees of revulsion against embattled Minister of Interior, Aregbesola’s brooded that Tinubu’s leadership had suddenly assumed the god complex.

Aregbe (as he is widely known in his political circles) was a long-serving works commissioner in Lagos, under Tinubu as the governor between 1999 and 2007.

In a closely-darted attack delivered on Monday, Aregbesola threw weighty jibes against his known godfather, Tinubu, accusing the presidential election front liner of stabbing him in the back by supporting current Osun State governor in a political war of supremacy in the ‘State of Living Spring’.

Yesterday, Oyetola took the time off to reply to Aregbesola. Supporters of both camps have taken to social media to throw their weights around tendencies they feel aligned to.

‘Aregbe’ alleged that Tinubu only served him a dose of the same bad card he offered former another Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, during his re-election bid in 2019 when the latter was unceremoniously dropped from contesting for a second term in office.

The interior minister, who is now believed to have lost out in the war of control over the party’s structures in Osun State, berated the former two-time Lagos State governor for allegedly telling him that he would meet the same fate with ‘his brother’, Gboyega Oyetola, a political pronouncement of a sort which culminated in the latter eventually becoming the governor of Osun State years ago.

Aregbesola handed over power to Oyetola but no sooner had that been accomplished, than a bitter war of rivalry erupted between the duo as to who controlled the levers of power in the state.

Speaking in Ijebu Ijesa, Osun State, where he addressed party faithful and stakeholders, ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary, Aregbesola was reportedly attacked by some suspected thugs, during a roadshow in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

According to reports, for the entire duration that he spoke, Aregbesola refused to acknowledge Tinubu’s name.

Rather, the ex-governor, who was copiously quoted to have delivered his sucker punch of verbal warfare in the Yoruba language, traced the genesis of the political war, even swearing that would be disgraced by the blood of unnamed political godfathers who spilled the blood of innocent youths.

Aregbesola also alleged betrayal by Tinubu on former governor Ambode, when he allegedly said, “There was a governor, who wanted to seek re-election and the party declined and showed him the way out with their votes. So, the same way it was in Lagos then, is exactly the way it is in Osun today. What is good for the goose, is also good for the gander. It cannot be the turn of your younger brother now, and you change the rules.”

A local newspaper, Nigeria Defender, allegedly linked to one of the parties in the blooming war, yesterday summarised the position in its headline: “Osun 2022: Aregbesola Declares War, Bombs Oyetola, Tinubu, Akande.”

However, Bisi Akande’s angle to the crisis has largely been ignored. Watchers attribute that to the ‘fact’ that Tinubu is the bigger fish as a presidential aspirant.

Oyetola returns fire

Ahead of the July 2022 governorship election, Oyetola yesterday responded to the crossfire, telling his predecessor in office, Aregbesola, that he is not God, and thus cannot determine his fate on re-election.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Ismail Omipidan, Oyetola said had absolute trust in God and the people of Osun State.

The statement reads: “The general belief among most Africans that “a man’s life is preordained and ruled by God” has continued to play out in the political trajectory of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun.

“From 2011 when he was appointed Chief of Staff to 2018 when, against all odds, he emerged, first as the candidate of the APC, and later, governor of the state, at a time when many thought it was all over for him, it was obvious that he was on a divine political course.

“My Principal has absolute faith in God and the people of Osun. In these last three years plus, the people can tell the difference in terms of responsible and responsive governance and politics.”

According to the governor’s spokesman, “Before we came in, Osun West was neglected in terms of infrastructure, but since we came in, we have done roads that had been abandoned for close to 20 years in that district.

“This, perhaps, explains why leaders and critical stakeholders from the area are already appealing to themselves to allow Oyetola to take another shot at the governorship for the second term.”

He added, “Just about a week ago, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, charged the people of the town to vote for incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola.

“Oluwo, who advised his subjects not to waste their resources and energy working against the re-election bid of the governor, said only those who are not interested in the growth and development of the town in particular, and Osun State, in general, would want to run against Oyetola.

“The Royal Father said by the special Grace of God and the support of the people of Osun, Oyetola will be re-elected to consolidate the achievements he has so far recorded. Now, Aregbesola’s anointed candidate is from Iwo. So, you should be the judge.

“As the 2022 governorship contest draws closer as the saying goes, there is no point comparing the sun with the moon, both shine when it is their time. For now, it’s Oyetola’s sun that is shining by the permission and Grace of God and the power of the people of Osun. And as the majority are already saying, this sun will shine beyond 2022.”

The statement concluded, “Therefore, it is God and Osun people that will determine Oyetola’s fate, not an individual trying to play God.”

The Supporters

Meanwhile, while the feud between a godfather and his godson festers, supporters have been lining up behind the sitting governor, Oyetola.

One of them, former deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, yesterday said his ‘major focus’ now is to ensure that Governor Oyetola is re-elected during the July 16 governorship election in the state.

Speaking in Osogbo through the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Yemi Lawal, Omisore said he was not distracted by the activities of some disgruntled elements in the state.

“Whatever anyone is doing to disrupt the peace of Osun State, intending to disturb Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s re-election, is a mere waste of time.

“My only focus, for now, is getting Oyetola re-elected during the July 16 governorship election. The primary is a done deal. You can see the acceptability among party members and the populace during the ongoing tour of local government areas of the state.”

Omisore added, “So, we are not distracted, we remain focused, we are progressing with our resolve. Presently, every other person’s ambition is on hold, until we are done with Oyetola’s second term ambition.”

Police, NSCDC differ over gunshots during Aregbesola’s road parade

Reports after Aregbesola’s speech had said there was violence after the occasion. There were reports of gunshots and melee, during which people ran for their dear lives.

Residents of the state capital had on Monday evening scampered for safety following sounds of gunshot leading to accusation and counter-allegation from the state government and the Minister’s aides.

NSCDC, hunters partner to check vandalism, other vices in Zamfara

But the Osun State Police Command and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have taken different stances on sporadic gunshots that were said to have pervaded the air during which the minister allegedly ‘paraded’ some streets in the state capital.

The state police spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola, in a statement, described the minister’s convoy action as conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

NSCDC spokesmen, Atanda Olabisi, said their personnel only repelled an attempted attack on the minister.