The Minister of Interior and former governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said yesterday that he begged his successor, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, for two years not to fight him or destroy the policies and legacies he enacted during his eight years tenure.
He said Oyetola waged a war against him after he emerged as the governor because he alleged that he did not support his candidature in 2018.
Aregbesola, speaking at Isale Abata in Ikire during the Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole Federal Constituency meeting with stakeholders of the party at a rally to endorse former Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, ahead of tomorrow’s All Progressives Congress (APC) primary, said: “I begged Oyetola for two years. I sent people to help me beg him that he should not destroy my legacies and policies. He refused the pleas.
“Our hope is in God and the good people of Osun State. Nobody can overcome God. It is not a sin to contest for a position in a democratic government. The constitution of the party stipulates that after four years, we can change our candidate. But if he abides by the tenets of the party, we will support him for another term.”
Speaking about his aspirant, he said: “The leaders of the party have agreed that we should go back to where we missed the road in 2018. We have realised our mistake that the person we ought to put in front, we neglected him. We followed an ingrate and a wicked soul.”
Osun State Government has alleged in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Funke Egbemode, that some persons have stockpiled the uniforms of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigerian Correctional Service with intent to distribute them to non-state actors for use during tomorrow’s APC governorship primary.
The government warned those behind the plot to jettison the idea, as security operatives have been put on the alert and mandated to deal with anyone bent on causing violence and destruction in the state.
The leaders of parties have signed an agreement with the police command to be of good conduct during the primaries.
Addressing the leaders before they signed the agreement at a peace meeting held at the command headquarters in Osogbo yesterday, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Valentine Kanayo, warned politicians and residents against taking the law into their hands before, during and after the election slated for July 16.
