By Olusegun Olanrewaju
An aide of National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Tunde Rahman, yesterday said the presidential aspirant will not oppose reconciliation moves with his estranged political traveling mate, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

On Tuesday, it was reported that two topmost traditional rulers in Yorubaland, the Ooni of Ife, HRH Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi, met with Aregbesola in Oyo State.

According to reports, the meeting was organised to reconcile Aregbesola and Tinubu, to douse the ongoing rift between the duo.

Tinubu’s media aide, Rahman, yesterday said though his principal was not invited to the meeting, he believed that the monarchs would reach out to the former Lagos State governor later.

“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was not invited to the meeting. I can tell you that clearly. I believe the two traditional rulers intend to reach out to him later,” Rahman said.

“But let me say this clearly: Asiwaju Tinubu has tremendous respect for the traditional institution and particularly for the two eminent royal fathers.

“You would recall that only recently during his consultations and engagements with traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Oyo and Osun states on his presidential aspiration, he visited and interfaced with HRM Iku Baba Yeye Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and HRM Onirisa, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in their respective domains.”

The Tinubu spokesman added, “If you ask me what Asiwaju’s attitude would be to the reconciliation move, of course, he would welcome and support it.

“Don’t forget that Asiwaju and the Honourable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, are from the same political family. Asíwájú appointed him commissioner for works for eight years during his time as Lagos governor.

“He also later drafted him into the Osun governorship race and supported him to be governor in Osun for eight years.

“I think Asiwaju would factor all of that and where both of them are coming from into the reconciliation efforts. He would not oppose the idea.”
ThisNigeria reported yesterday that plans were underway to facilitate Tinubu and Aregbesola’s reconciliation.

In June 2020, an online media platform, TheCable, had reported that the relationship between the duo had turned sour — but they both denied the report.

The rift began in May 2020, when Aregbesola arbitrarily revamped the Mandate Group — a core of Tinubu’s loyalists — and usurped the closely-knitted caucus for individuals he could trust.

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Tuesday’s two-hour meeting between the Ooni and Alaafin was held behind closed doors at the Ibadan-based private residence of the latter, with Aregbesola.

It was aimed at resolving the lingering gutted relationship between the two prominent Yoruba political politicians.

It was said to be a first step toward finding a lasting reconciliation between the two political gladiators (Tinubu and Aregbesola).

According to a source, after consultations, the leaders agreed to move to the next stage of the meeting, which would be held at a later date.

It was gathered that Aregbesola had, in the build-up to February 2022 governorship primaries of the APC in Osun, taken on his political master, Tinubu, for allegedly taking sides with Osun State governor, Gboyega Oyetola, his brother.

A source said the reconciliation move had been spearheaded by Aregbesola, who reportedly asked the two leading monarchs to resolve his feud with Tinubu, a presidential aspirant of the APC in the 2023 general elections.

A source was quoted to have said: “Rauf Aregbesola came before the Ooni, and Oba Ogunwusi joined him shortly.

“Nobody was allowed to enter. Nobody was briefed. They later came out and entered their cars.”

Details of the meeting are, however, sketchy, reports say.