The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, will not oppose ongoing moves to reconcile him with the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.
Tinubu’s media aide, Tunde Rahman, disclosed this in a message he sent to The PUNCH on Tuesday evening.
Rahman was reacting to the decision of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to reconcile Tinubu and Aregbesola.
The two monarchs, it was gathered, held a meeting with the minister at Oba Adeyemi’s private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Tuesday as part of the move.
Tinubu was not present at the meeting, according to sources,
Another source however said the former Lagos State Governor was not invited for the first meeting but that the monarchs would hold a separate meeting with him at a later date before convening a joint meeting.
Reacting, Rahman said, “Yes, I saw pictures of the meeting on social media as you did too. HE Asíwájú 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.
But let me say this clearly: Asíwájú 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 Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and Onirisa, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in their respective domains.
“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 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.”
It was a private meeting—Aregbesola’s aide
When contacted, the minister’s Media Adviser, Sola Fasure, confirmed the meeting between his boss and the two traditional rulers.
He however described the meeting as a private one, saying he was not part of it.
Fasure said, “It is true that Ogbeni held a private meeting with the Alaafin of Oyo and the Ooni of Ife. They held the meeting in Ibadan today (Monday) but I did not attend because it was a private meeting.
So, I don’t know what they discussed there because I was not privy to their discussion but Ogbeni held a meeting with the two frontline traditional rulers in Yorubaland today.”
Aregbesola had while addressing his supporters in Ijebu Jesa town, Osun State on February 14 said the Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, should be given the same treatment which former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was given in Lagos State.
He said Ambode derailed and was denied the governorship ticket of the APC to re-contest, saying Oyetola should also be treated the same way.
Before Aregbesola’s outburst, he had parted ways with Oyetola with the APC in the state divided into two factions.
One faction, the Osun Progressives, is loyal to Aregbesola, while the other faction is backed by the governor.
Copyright PUNCH.
