The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, has suspended Rauf Aregbesola, a former governor of the state, over alleged anti-party activities.
The party accused the former
minister of interior of “creating splinter groups in the APC” and making
“public outbursts” against President Bola Tinubu, Bisi Akande, a former
governor of Osun, and Gboyega Oyetola, minister of marine and blue economy.
The state working committee of
the Osun APC said it found merit in the allegations leveled against the former
minister by the executives of the party in Ilesa East LGA where he hails from.
In a letter to the national
working committee (NWC) of the party, Tajudeen Lawal and Alao Kamoru, chair and
secretary of the APC in Osun, said Aregbesola breached article 21 (2) of the
party’s constitution.
“Following complaints of
anti-party activities levelled 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,” PUNCH quoted the letter as saying.
“The State Executive Commíttee
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.”
They said the disciplinary
committee would give Aregbesola a chance to defend himself.
Tinubu and Aregbesola fell out
in 2020 when the former minister revamped the Mandate Group — a core of
Tinubu’s loyalists — and usurped the closely-knitted caucus for individuals he
could trust.
The former Osun governor
relaunched the group without Tinubu’s approval and named Abdullahi Enilolobo, his
protege, as the new leader.
In 2022, there was an attempt
by close associates and friends to reconcile both men in the build-up to the
2023 general election – but that did not yield any tangible result as they
still do not see eye to eye.
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