Osun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has again purportedly suspended Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the immediate-past Minister of Interior.
Aregbesola, a founding member of the party, was reportedly suspended in a letter addressed to APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje by the state chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, and his Secretary, Kamoru Alao.
BEYOND AFRICA gathered that the former Governor was suspended for alleged anti-party activities, pending the ratification of a disciplinary committee it set up to investigate allegations against him.
The resolution reads, “Following complaints of Anti-Party Activities leveled against Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola by the llesa East Local Government Executive Committee, the State Executive Committee (SEC), after reviewing the allegations and in accordance with the powers vested in it by Article 21(3) (vi) (c) of the party’s Constitution, hereby suspends Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from the party pending the outcome of an investigation into the allegations by a Disciplinary Committee.
“The State Executive Committee has constituted a Disciplinary Committee to investigate and provide Ogbeni Aregbesola with the opportunity to respond to the allegations of activities deemed to be in violation of Article 21 (2) of the party’s Constitution, particularly relating to anti-party activities that undermine the collective interests of the APC leveled against him as follows:
“Factionalisation of the party with the creation of splinter groups te the Omoluabi Caucus; Creation of parallel organs within the party; Working with opposition parties to undermine the APC in the State an open admission made at the Ataoja’s Palace, Osogbo; Public outbursts against the leaders of the party, including Mr. President, H.E. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), Chief Bisi Akande and H.E. Gboyega Oyetola, among others; Refusal to show up or support any party activities in the State; and Refusal to vote for the party since after the 2019 general elections.
“The Committee is to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to State Executive Committee within 14 days from the date of this resolution. The Disciplinary Committee, pursuant to Article 21 (3), will formally communicate this resolution to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and inform him of his right to appear before it to defend himself against the allegations,” the statement said.
BEYOND AFRICA had earlier on Tuesday reported a statement credited to the spokesperson of Osun APC, Kola Olabisi, that the party does not need the former Governor in the 2026 governorship election in the state.
The party had in several statements by its key figures and leaders in the recent past had declared that Aregbesola, was no longer a member of the APC, accusing him of alleged anti-party activities.
Some of the leaders had also restated that the former governor, was ‘inconsequential,’ and that his political influence had ‘waned,’ stressing that the APC will win the 2026 governorship election in the state without him.
The medium gathered that the comments were made months after the APC led by Sooko Lawal, a staunch loyalist of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, suspended and expelled members of the party for their loyalty to Aregbesola.
In May 2024, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs under Oyetola, Mr. Adebayo Adeleke, said Aregbesola, was no longer a member of the All Progressives Congress.
A video clip of Adeleke’s remarks at an event in Osogbo quoted him as saying that all serious members of the party in the state were aware that Aregbesola was not currently a member of the party.
His words, “They said in our party in Osun, we have two former governors, we have Chief Bisi Akande and ex-governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
“Someone asked about ex-governor Rauf Aregbesola, and my response is that all members of the APC know that Aregbesola presently is not a member of our party.”
Also in June 2024, APC Chairman in Osun, Lawal and Secretary, Kamoru Alao, urged members of the party to dissociate themselves from the former Governor.
“We are discouraging our members who are loyal party members not to register with Aregbesola’s group because Omoluabi as a group is not a member of our party in Osun state.
“Aregbesola, as far as we are concerned in Osun APC, he is no more a member of APC. We have taken steps three times to notify the national secretariat of the distractions from Aregbesola and we expect the national secretariat to do the needful.”
Similarly, APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru in June 2024 declared that the former governor is no longer a leader of the party in the state.
Basiru stated that, “Mr Aregbesola was our leader, but I don’t know which party he belongs to now. I am not abusing him. Even Asiwaju, his benefactor, he didn’t vote for him.
“Go and ask him which party he voted for in the governorship election, the presidential election and the House of Assembly election.
“For the past three elections, we have not seen him participating in any of our party’s activities,” Basiru noted.
He mentioned “Baba (former Governor) Bisi Akande and (former Governor) Gboyega Oyetola” as APC leaders in Osun.
In addition, Olabisi while reacting to a “prophecy” by Primate Elijah Ayodele of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, who claimed that APC’s victory in 2026 would hinge on reconciliation between Oyetola and Aregbesola, dismissing calls for unity.
“We reject the Primate Ayodele’s fallacious prophecy which we consider to be in the realm of a figment of the imagination of the suspected mercantile prophet of which its prediction is aimed at causing unnecessary tension and friction within our party in Osun State.
“We would like to impress it on Prophet Ayodele and his discreet sponsors that our party which has been working assiduously round the clock to achieve victory in the said elections would continue to work for its victory without the enlistment of any metaphorical serpents who have become political pariahs and men of yesterday in the corridor of political power in the state because of their evil deeds unleashed on the party in the past.”
The APC led by Oyetola had on August 31, 2023 suspended 26 prominent members of Omoluabi Progressives including former SSG, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, former Speaker, Dr. Najeem Salaam, former cabinet members – Adelani Baderinwa, Gbenga Akano, Adelowo Adebiyi, Sikiru Ayedun, among others, for alleged anti-party activities.
Also, it expelled 84 loyalists of the former Minister for the same reasons, across the local government areas of Osun including Alhaji Rasak Salinsile, former APC State Secretary, Hon. Gbenga Ogunkanmi, Hon. Segun Olanibi, and so on.
Asked for comments on the latest development, Organising and Publicity Secretary of Omoluabi Progressives, Abosede Oluwaseun, said “No comment.”
