BREAKING: Osun APC Hits Hard On Aregbesola

The leadership All Progressives Congress, APC, Osun State, has continued to politically attack the former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

The new chapter of the crisis started when the former Minister of Interior the former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, last week Tuesday, launched the Omoluabi Progressive Caucus in Ilesa, Osun State, describing it as a ‘union of like-minds in the state’.

He said at the event that, “The Omoluabi Tendency is a caucus within the All Progressives Congress (APC); actually one of the caucuses in the state. We are not a faction. We are the genuine foundation members of the party and we have no intention of abandoning the ship of the party as it navigates the most turbulent waters.

“We are no sprinters, but long-distance runners and we will still be standing when all the fair weathers have gone,” Aregbesola stated.

Members of the Omoluabi Caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State on Monday, August 29th began their meetings in order to organize and reposition the party towards the 2026 gubernatorial election in the state

The members were seen around the state holding meetings and discussing how to popularize the party and their ideology. In Ifelodun Local Government Areas of the state, the leadership of the Caucus met with representatives of the wards, charging them to take the gospel of Omoluabi to the nooks and crannies of the local government.

However, in what appeared to be a hit hard on Aregbesola, the leadership of the pary on Wednesday and Thursday directed the suspension of two former chairmen of the party, former speaker of the house of assembly and other loyalists of the immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

In a statement signed by the Chairman of APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, yesterday, the party claimed that the leaders were suspended for anti-party activities.

Leading the list of the APC leaders suspended are Alhaji Moshood Adeoti who was chairman of Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress and Action Congress of Nigeria between 2003 and 2011, Elder Lowo Adebiyi, pioneer chairman of APC in the state, the immediate past Deputy Chairman of the party, Alhaji Azeez Adesiji.

Also suspended are ex-Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salaam, former National Assembly members, Senator Mudasiru Hussein and Hon. Rasheed Afolabi, immediate past Deputy Chief Whip of assembly, Hon. Abidemi Ogunkanmi, ex-chairman, House Committee on Local Government, Hon. Wasiu Adebayo, former state lawmakers, Hon. Adenike Abioye, Hon. MBO Ibrahim and Hon. Israel Oyekunle.

Other loyalists of Aregbesola suspended by the APC are: Messrs. Adelani Baderinwa, Sikiru Ayedun, Kunle Ige, Biodun Agboola, Rasheed Opatola, Akeem Olaoye, Segun Olanibi, Tunde Ajilore, Ganiyu Ismaila Opeyemi, Zakariah Khalid, Engr. Kazeem Salami, Barr. Gbenga Akano, Barr. Gbenga Awosode, Francis Famurewa and Tajudeen Famuyide.

Lawal had on Wednesday announced the expulsion of former secretary of the party, Hon. Rasaq Salinsile together with 83 others, including the current Commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr. Biyi Odunlade and Special Adviser to the Governor on Children Affairs, Alhaja Temilade Olokungboye.

Findings revealed that none of the suspended and expelled APC members was invited to appear before any disciplinary committee of the party, nor confronted either formally or informally with any allegations.

It was gathered that except Salinsile, all other members of the APC whose expulsion was announced on Wednesday, were evicted for taking political appointments under Governor Ademola Adeleke administration.

Investigations revealed that 81 of the expelled APC members are members of the newly constituted caretaker committees in their various local governments.

The former State Secretary of the APC in Osun State, Alhaji Rasak Salinsile has described his expulsion as a joke and content meant for social media, stating that the party did not at anytime accuse him of any wrongdoing.

Salinsile said the action of the APC shows how disorganised the leadership of the party is, wondering why it will act in flagrant disobedient to the constitution.

Salinsile

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, Salinsile said the unending mismanagement of the party is a reflection of the fact that former governor Adegboyega Oyetola and his followers have been commissioned to bury the party.

The former Secretary of the APC maintained that the current scenario is a case of tenant chasing away landlord from his house, describing the managers of the party as politically naïve.

He said: “I don’t know what they (APC) based their judgement on; coming from the fact that even before the gubernatorial election in 2022, they said we were not part of them; they didn’t want to have anything to do with us and they held strictly to that. They declared some of us persona nongranta.

“All our attempt and efforts to bring unity and sanity into the party were rebuffed by the so called Ilerioluwa group. How come you expelled us from the party you had earlier said we did not belong to? You said we are not members of your party and you are now claiming that you are expelling us for anti-party. Which party?

“Let us assume without conceding that as members of the party, we committed an offence, the constitution of the party is very clear on how disciplinary measure should be taken. Article 21A and B of the party’s constitution clearly stated how you can discipline party members for various offences.

“I don’t know for any other person, but I was never invited for questioning. All I saw was my reported expulsion from the party on the social media. The said leadership of the APC didn’t follow due process in taking action against us; if at all we have committed any offence.

“However, this is a pointer to the fact that the party is disorganized and Oyetola and his followers are commissioned to bury the APC.

“The party Chairman does not know anything about party administration; he is naive when it comes to party administration and party politics. Otherwise, no responsible and reasonable party chairman would descend so low to put his signature to that kind of rubbish called expulsion.”

Speaking on the APC members who were appointed into local government caretaker committees, Salinsile said the party goofed by expelling members because of accepting political appointment under a PDP government.

He said: “PDP offered me appointment, I declined it. Even if I accepted it, I don’t think there is anything wrong about it. This will not be the first of its kind. Chief Ajibola Ige of blessed memory served in Obasanjo’s PDP government as a minister. Did that make him a less leader in the progressive? Did anybody condemned him, did anybody attempt to send him away from the party?

‘During the Abacha junta, Late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Late Chief Olu Onagoruwa and our referred leader, Ebenezer Babatope all served in that government. That was even an anti-democracy era. It didn’t make them lesser leader.

“I don’t know what is wrong with these people in APC. It is like they have been commissioned to ruin APC totally in Osun.

“I don’t see where a tenant gives a landlord quit notice. Starting from Isiaka Oyetola, down to his cohorts, they’re tenants in the progressive family. I came to know Oyetola when he was appointed Chief of Staff. I never knew him until then. For him now to lead some people that didn’t know how we started the building of the party to say they are expelling us from the party is very shameful.”

Salinsile said he was going to challenge his expulsion with due process.

Reacting to his expulsion, the Commissioner for Political Affairs in Osun State, Dr. Biyi Odunlade, described the state leadership of the APC as jesters, saying they lack authority to suspend him.

According to Odunlade, the purported expulsion is from the IleriOluwa faction of the APC, describing it as laughable.

Odunlade maintained that the APC is confused and has embarked on comedy to remain in the news.

He said: “The purported expulsion is laughable; it is not even from main party organs, it is from IleriOluwa faction and they are best ignored. They are just unserious comedians; and they must play to the gallery and talk to be in the news.

“APC as a party crumbled when some self-centred people decided to wage unnecessary war against Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. The party ought to respect Aregbesola but they didn’t, so I have moved on.

“APC leadership is just directionless; they don’t know what they want. What do you even expect from a party that parades losers as its leaders. The current state Chairman of the party, Tajudeen Lawal couldn’t even win his ward and local government.

“The expulsion is laughable; they are comedians. As it stands in Osun today, APC is empty because the strength of the party has been denied. They should cover their faces in shame for failing to win a seat at the national assembly and manipulatively won a seat out of 26 in the State House of Assembly.

“It is a shame that they are consoling themselves with the Federal Government; they know the market is closed against them in Osun.”

Meanwhile, Aregbesola is yet to react to the suspension and expulsion of his loyalists.