There is confusion in the camp of the Osun State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC as the second-year anniversary celebration of Osun State Governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola in office, scheduled for Friday, 27 November 2020 faces a direct threat from his predecessor, Miniter of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who is insisting on celebrating the 10th anniversary of his own progressive governance in the state.
This has drawn tension with the APC class and across the state with Aregbesola’s aides vowing that nothing would stop their principal from storming the state to mark what they called the “10th anniversary of progressive governance” in Osun State.
It was gathered that few days ago Ogbeni Aregbesola visited former governor of the state, who is also national leader of APC, Chief Bisi Akande at his country home, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, in company of Senator Ajibola Basiru.
Credible sources revealed that trouble started between the political gladiators who are from the same political camp when Governor Oyetola reversed some of Aregbesola’s unpopular policies like his education policy that was roundly rejected by the people of the state.
It was also learnt that Governor Oyetola rejected the decision taken by the former governor, five days to the end of his administration by launching what he called Osun Development Plan 2019- 2028, a 10-year development plan.
The resistance by the governor, according to an informed source, was because “Oyetola has his own development plans and his own template for the people of the state.”
The plan of Aregbesola to celebrate the 10th Year anniversary simultaneously with that of the marking of the present administration’s second year in office without the knowledge of the incumbent Governor Oyetola has raised the temperature of politics and security in the state.
Speaking on the development, Media Adviser to Aregbesola, Sola Fasure said, he believed the “invitation on the celebration of 10 years of unbroken progressive governance in the state should have got to the incumbent governor by now.”
“The celebration includes eight years of Aregbesola’s tenure and two years of the current administration. Is there anything wrong with that? Sincerely, I don’t even think we should be debating that.
“Like I said, it is 10 years of progressive administration which started with him as governor in 2010 and ended in 2018. It also includes two years of the present government. So, why would he now bring in thugs to disrupt the state?
“If he is celebrating 10 years of his tenure and that of his successor, which is an offshoot of his own tenure, why would he plan to disrupt it? It is just pure mischief to say he is planning to disrupt the state, a state for which he laboured. He spent four years to reclaim his mandate from PDP; then he spent eight years as governor, so why will he now be destabilising the state.
“I don’t think there is any crisis between the governor and the minister. His relationship with the governor is cordial. They speak regularly irrespective of what you hear in the media. They also belong to the same political family of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“The 10th year of that administration is significant, symbolic and it is worth celebrating. I also believe that Governor Oyetola is also part of it. Those accusing the minister of plotting to destabilise the state are mischief makers because the relationship between Aregbesola and Oyetola is cordial.” Fasure said.
Also, Special Adviser to Aregbesola in the Interior Ministry, Bola Ilori in a Facebook post affirmed that “The venue will be communicated shortly, latest by Wednesday. Ogbeni defeated an army general to become the governor while he was not holding any position. It’s not the fear of ambush that will stop the 10th year anniversary. They will either join the 10th year anniversary in peace and all will be well or they will walk far away from the venue and the event will proceed undisturbed. We come in peace.”
Another Facebook post by a die-hard supporter Aregbesola, Mr Wale Alabi said: “One million of your sponsors and your clans cannot stop our 10th year anniversary. Go and ask your boss, he will tell you that, original Osun People will never succumb to threat. If truly, your sponsors or those bankrolling your stupidity have the ball, let them try to disrupt a peaceful gathering.”
In his reaction the Chief Press Secretary to Oyetola, Mr Ismail Omipidan CPS Omipidan said “The only thing I know is that we are planning our second year anniversary. I am a member of the committee.
“The party in the State also has representatives in that committee. There is no such programme in our lineup. Can you shave someone’s head behind him?
“Fasure is being economical with the truth by saying that Governor Oyetola is part of the planned celebration. He should step forward and present further evidence to back his false claims or forever remain silent,” Omipidan said.
