‘I Warned Tinubu About The Role Of Aregbesola In His Political Family’ – Omipidan

A former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the one-time governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, says he has always been sceptical about the loyalty of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

Omipidan added that prior to the 2023 election, he warned President Bola Tinubu about the role of Aregbesola within his political circle.

According to the journalist, his position was formed based on what he saw in Ondo and Osun States before, during and after their 2017 and 2018 governorship elections, respectively.

He explained that he spoke to Tinubu in 2018 prior to his appointment in 2019 as the CPS to the then Governor Oyetola.

Naijaonpoint reports Omipidan shared the details afresh in an extract of his recently unveiled book, ‘Persona Non-Grata’, which he posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

He also shared his experience with Aregbesola in the build-up to the 2014 governorship experience in Osun State.

“Before my appointment as the Chief Press Secretary in 2019, I had always shown more than a passing interest in Osun politics. In 2014, when Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was seeking a re-election, I set up a six-man media team to do an intervention on his behalf six months before the election. I funded the team and deployed my Facebook timeline in support of Aregbesola.

“Once the election was won and lost, members of the team approached me and asked when we would be going to Osun to celebrate. That was the first time I let them
know no one was paying my bills and that I had no link with anyone in government.

“Most of them were shocked at my revelation because for the six months the team worked, in the build up to the election, I made logistics available throughout.

“Prior to joining my principal in 2019, I knew what the issues were. I knew how they struggled to win the 2018 election. In fact, I had predicted in one of my articles before the 2018 election that no clear winner would emerge from the first ballot. I went further to state emphatically that any of the two leading candidates that was interested in winning must negotiate with Senator Iyiola Omisore, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, to carry the day. That was exactly what eventually happened.

“For me, the 2018 election was a referendum on Aregbesola. He was faced with what could be regarded as the “battle of his life,” the journalist narrated.

I Have Been Vindicated

Omipidan said Aregbesola’s attitude towards Tinubu’s presidential ambition has vindicated whatever reservations he has about the former Osun Governor.

He also hinted that the political arrogance of Aregbesola, coupled with the failure of Oyetola to heed political warnings, led to his failed bid to be re-elected as the Osun State Governor.

“After the election, I suggested, through my writings on Facebook, to Oyetola to drop the garb of arrogance of Aregbesola and the know-it-all attitude of that administration if he wanted to succeed. I equally admonished Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do an introspection on the role of Aregbesola within the political family.

“I took that position based on what I saw in Ondo and Osun States before, during and after their 2017 and 2018 governorship elections respectively.

“And I want to believe that I am vindicated by Aregbesola’s disposition towards President Tinubu’s presidential ambition four years after my suggestion.

“May Allah continue to grant the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi Aljannah Firadus. He did a yeoman’s job in Osun, whereas Aregbesola carried on in that election as if nothing was at stake,” he wrote.