A group within the Osun All Progressives Congress, (APC) Osun State, Blue Movement have revealed that only Rauf Aregbesola, a former governor of the State can ask his followers to join the campaign train of the party for the coming general elections.
The group also revealed that it was still awaiting a directive from Aregbesola, Minister of Interior, whether to join the presidential campaign train in the State, since there is no official invitation from the leadership of the party.
Speaking at the weekly stakeholders’ meeting of Blue Movement in Osogbo/Olorunda local governments, the group’s Coordinator, Wale Alabi, said they remained the core members of APC in the State.
Alabi described members of the group as Aregbesola core loyalists since they believed in the political ideology of the former Osun governor.
“Aregbesola is a core progressive. The internal wrangling within the progressive folds would soon become a thing of the past, notwithstanding, efforts by some individuals who have been frustrating the peace move by concerned leaders of the party.
“We are not willing to do anything other than whatever Aregbesola is doing and as you can see, he has not even given his support to any other candidate because he was not called and he was not involved in the scheme of things.
“That does not mean that he is willing to support other candidates.
“APC is Aregbesola’s party and Aregbesola is APC in Osun, as far as we are concerned.
“APC leadership in Osun have sidelined us and this is the reason we have not taken part in the campaigns.
“The only person who can, however, tell us or advise us to join the Presidential campaign in Osun is Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and we are waiting for him to make the call. Once he makes the call, we will join,” he said.
Recall that prior to the July 16, 2022, gubernatorial election in Osun State, there was a total disagreement between the former governor, Adegboyega Oyetola and his predecessor Rauf Aregbesola, both of the APC.
The misunderstanding became apparent when The Osun Progressives (TOP), a group critical to Oyetola and the party executives under Gboyega Famodun was formed.
Loyalists of Aregbesola were purportedly suspended from the Osun APC and Lowo Adebiyi, the TOP chairman was suspended from the Osun APC Elders Caucus, the same time Senator Iyiola Omisore, an ally of Adegboyega Oyetola and present National Secretary of the APC became a member of the caucus.
The formation of a parallel Osun APC executives led by Rasaq Salinsile also proved that all was not well within the party in the State.
Aregbesola, also some weeks to the election also publicly confirmed the rift between him and his successor which led to the allegation that a section of the party in the State were used against the party in support of Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the winner of the gubernatorial election.