The immediate past Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Adebayo Adeleke, has declared that former Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, is no longer a member of the party.
Adeleke, who served under the administration of ex-governor Adegboyega Oyetola, made this statement during a meeting of the APC in the Osun Central Senatorial district held in Osogbo, the state capital.
He emphasized that all serious members of the APC in the state were aware of Aregbesola's current status within the party.
The relationship between Aregbesola and Oyetola has been strained since before the 2022 governorship election, with Aregbesola supporting Mr. Moshood Adeoti, who was the Secretary to the State Government during Aregbesola's tenure as governor.
Oyetola eventually lost the election to Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), further exacerbating the rift between the two former governors.
Adeleke's remarks at the meeting, attended by the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and other party leaders, highlighted the ongoing discord within the party.
He pointed out that the two ex-governors in the Osun APC are Chief Bisi Akande and Oyetola, indicating that Aregbesola's current status within the party is not as an active member.
Efforts to obtain a response from Aregbesola's media adviser, Mr. Sola Fasure, on this matter were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
The situation underscores the complex dynamics within the APC in Osun State, with the party grappling to reconcile and unite its members in the aftermath of the 2022 governorship election.
