Osun APC crisis deepens as party suspends Aregbesola, demands explanations in 48 hours

The crisis rocking the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday further degenerated as the party announced the suspension of the immediate past Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, for alleged anti-party activities.

The party, in a letter addressed to its National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the state chapter, Tajudeen Lawal and Alao Kamoru respectively, said the development was in response to a letter by the leadership of the party in Mr Aregbesola’s Local Government Area.

Mr Aregbesola, a former governor of the state, hails from Ilesa in Ilesa East Local Government Area of the state.

The party has also written Mr Aregbesola, requesting his response to the allegations levelled against him within 48 hours.

But the former governor has yet to respond to the matter as his spokesman, Sola Fasure, declined comment, saying he was yet to be briefed on the matter by his principal.

Mr Fasure said as soon as he has the directive of Mr Aregbesola to speak on the matter, he would communicate our reporter.

Allegations against Aregbesola

In a letter addressed to the leadership of APC in Osun State and signed by both the Chairman and the Secretary, Timothy Fowowe and Kehinde Ajayi respectively, the Ilesa East Local Government chapter of APC requested disciplinary action against the former governor.

The party said the decision was taken at its meeting of 21 October, noting that the issue of “Ogbeni Aregbesola’s anti-party activities was raised and discussed.”

“It was resolved that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has consistently engaged in actions that undermine the interest of the APC at both the local and state levels. These activities include public criticisms of party leadership, support for rival political parties, and conduct that has created division and weakened party cohesion in Ilesa East and Osun State,” the letter, which is dated 21 October, reads in part.

The party said the action of the executive committee at the LGA level to request disciplinary action against Mr Aregbesola is backed by Article 21 of APC’s constitution.

State chapter takes action

Dated 22 October, the state chapter of the party in turn in a letter conveyed its decision to the national leadership of the party, listing six major offences allegedly committed by Mr Aregbesola against the party.

The letter, a copy of which was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, is titled: “Resolution Suspending Rauf Aregbesola for Anti-Party Activities and Constituting a Disciplinary Committee”.

The letter reads in part: “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.

“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 levelled against him as follows:

“Factionalisation of the party with the creation of splinter groups, i.e 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, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande and the Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola; 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 party said the committee is to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the state executive committee “within 14 days from the date of this resolution.”

The letter further reads: “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 State Executive Committee wishes to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to maintaining party discipline in Osun. We, therefore, urge our members to refrain from any activity that would negatively impact the integrity, unity, and electoral fortunes of the APC in Osun State. The party will not hesitate to activate necessary disciplinary actions against members who are found to have violated the party’s constitution and engage in anti-party activities”.

Party writes Aregbesola

Meanwhile, another letter addressed to Mr Aregbesola and signed by the Secretary of the State Disciplinary Committee, Waheed Adediran, requested a written response to the allegations levelled against the former governor.

The letter, dated 24 October, said Mr Aregbesola has 48 hours to respond to the allegations.

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“Your response will enable the Disciplinary Committee to investigate the matter objectively and in accordance with due process entrenched in our constitution. Your failure to provide a written explanation as requested may leave the committee with no option than to proceed with further actions in accordance with the party’s constitution,” the letter reads in part.

Backstory

The crisis rocking the APC in the state had started as soon as the process for selection of Mr Aregbesola’s successor had kicked off in 2017.

Though the relationship between Mr Aregbesola and his successor, Gboyega Oyetola, had not been truly cordial, the insistence of the then national leader of the party and now Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, that Mr Oyetola should fly the party’s flag in the off-cycle governorship election in the state in 2018 did not go down well with Mr Aregbesola.

Mr Oyetola, who is Mr Tinubu’s cousin, had earlier been imposed on Mr Aregbesola as his chief of staff when he reclaimed his mandate as the governor in 2011 following a protracted court case that lasted more than three years between 2007 and 2010.

Since his controversial election in 2018, Messrs Oyetola and Aregbesola, had been on a war path, with the former accusing his successor of rubbishing his legacies.

Mr Aregbesola believed that both Messrs Tinubu and Oyetola refused to nominate him as minister to serve in the second term of former President Muhammadu Buhari, and the crisis further degenerated ahead of the 2023 general election.

Apart from refusing to vote during the election that ushered in Mr Tinubu as president, many of Mr Aregbesola’s loyalists have publicly flirted with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state, with some of them serving in Governor Ademola Adeleke’s cabinet.