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 levelled 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.
