From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
An aide to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State, Jamiu Olawumi, said on Saturday that the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, and the former interim National Chairman of the party, Bisi Akande, have intervened in the rift between the governor and his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola.
Olawumi, who is the Special Adviser to Governor Oyetola on Education, disclosed this on a radio discussion programme in Osogbo, the state capital.
He described as lie the insinuations that leaders of the party have not intervened in the crisis between the governor and his predecessor.
According to him, the duo of Oyetola and Aregbesola was called to a meeting about three times but they continue to fight.
‘Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande have invited them in not less than three times. They come out of the meeting and the followers throw stones the following day,’ he said.
Blaming some of the followers for the escalation of the rift, Olawumi alleged that members of ‘The Osun Progressive’ (TOP) are destroying the APC in the state.
‘How can you place a former commissioner for eight years saying that Olaiya bridge is a waste of money, and that person will come to the governor for reconciliation,’ he said.
‘They are working bitter even more than the opposition could be in Osun State. They are destroying the party. The earlier they left, the better for the party.’
He also alleged that Aregbesola brought thugs to the state and glorify them openly at every function referring to them as ‘State Boys’ and dancing with them.
The Director General of the Oranmiyan group, and member of the TOP, Sodiq Olajide, said the governor has never made efforts to call leaders of the TOP for reconciliation.
‘We are members of the APC and we are not going to any party, we are remaining in APC. We said we want a part that is free, fair and promotes equity and fair play. If Mr Governor feels that what we represent has meaning, he should reach out to the leadership of TOP. We built the party and we don’t want a party we built to crash on us,’ he said.