By Danlami Nmodu
The presidency has singled out Rauf Aregbesola, former political ally of President Bola Tinubu for special bashing as it reacted to the emergence of opposition coalition last week.
Presidential Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga described Aregbesola as “the renegade” in his post on X, deriding members of the coalition which had named the former governor as interim national secretary of the ADC.
Onanuga said, “The renegade Rauf Aregbesola committed anti-party activities in the last Osun election and was expelled as an unfit APC member”.
The presidency urged Nigerians not to be “deceived by the opposition’s narrative”
Onanuga’s post reads in full: “Some members of the hijacked ADC, who were reported as members of the APC, left the APC years and months ago. Let the public not be deceived by the opposition’s narrative about their relevance or whether the APC will mourn their departure.
“- Rotimi Amaechi’s soul left the APC in 2022 after losing the presidential primary to President Tinubu.
“- Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General, has never hidden his estrangement from the APC since Tinubu assumed leadership and since he lost the governorship bid in Kebbi.
“- Hadi Sirika, now with the ADC, is facing trial for contract splitting and other allegations.
“- The renegade Rauf Aregbesola committed anti-party activities in the last Osun election and was expelled as an unfit APC member
“Kashim Imam and the octogenarian Chief John Odigie Oyegun are among the disgruntled politicians posturing as would-be saviours of Nigeria. Imam abandoned the APC after failing to secure the vice-presidential ticket in 2022. Chief Oyegun, a former party chairman, also lost interest in the APC and has been a foundational member of this coalition since its inception
The presidential adviser said further, “My advice to Nigerians: Keep your eyes wide open. A political party with no clear agenda or ideology—whose members are united only by their hatred for President Tinubu—cannot be good for our country. It will only set us back by decades.
“These politicians are desperados, hungry for power, not for the benefit of Nigerians but for themselves. They want power at all costs because they cannot endure another four years in the political wilderness or be banished to political winter and irrelevance.
“What is certain is that the group will soon unravel due to their irreconcilable personal ambitions.”
Newsdiaryonline reports that Aregbesola was a bosom friend and resilient ally of Tinubu.They were united in Lagos where he served as a commissioner under Tinubu.He later became governor of Osun State.
While no details have been given of circstances behind their frosty relationship, it is an open secret that the alliance between incumbent President and his ex staunch associate dwindled during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.The politics of who controls Osun may have been a major problems.
For now, the coalition may further test the well known political sweetheart relationship between long term associates.While the presidency may see Aregbesola as “the renegade”, other watchers see his emergence as interim national secretary of ADC as a masterstroke, especially given his understanding of the South West Political superstructure.