By Akinwale Kasali
Time was when Rauf Aregbesola was a political godfather and dictator in Alimosho area, Lagos State.
He stood like a colossus, and dictated who got the ticket to run as a Lawmaker in the National Assembly, State House of Assembly, Chairman and Councillor under the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Sadly, Aregbesola’s structure in the Party has collapsed since his defection from the APC.
Though no one ever envisioned it, not even the co-founders, that the once rosy relationship between President Bola Tinubu and Aregbesola would degenerate into him leaving the Party, 12 years it birthed APC, but it happened. He left.
His defection resulted in his disciples leaving the Party in droves, particularly in his stronghold, Alimosho City.
His allies who once occupied all political offices including Council Chairmanship seat in Alimosho under Aregbesola’s umbrella, do not have any candidate for the July 12, 2025 council election after his Aspirants for the Chairmanship Seat across the six Local Government and Local Council Development Area, LCDAs, lost during the Local Government primaries conducted by the Party in the State.
This development during the primaries held across the Six Councils, Alimosho Local Government, Egbe-Idimu, Ayobo-Ipaja, Mosan Okunola, Igando-Ikotun, and Agbado Oke-Odo LCDAs, have crushed the age-long political structure created and controlled by Aregbesola through his representative, Abdullahi Enilolobo, who held the structure together after their leader assumed office as the Osun state governor and later as minister under the Buhari led administration.
It would be recalled that Aregbesola’s structure which was once used as the negotiating power for the group during the 2023 election has been pulled down during the 2025 Local Government Chairmanship Primaries by the party members who were said to be loyal to two other groups controlled by the Special Adviser to the President on Sustainable Development Goal,SDG, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, and the other, Bisi Yusuf, a former Lawmaker.
It was gathered that Aregbesola’s Political dynasty had approached the Council Chairmanship Primary held inside the Party’s secretariat at Acme, Ikeja with the aim to retain tickets of the six Councils as it was during the former minister’s reign but the results announced after the exercise sent a shocking wave across Alimosho.
It would be recalled that at the Primary, the results announced by the electoral Committee led by APC former publicity Secretary, Babatunde Ogala, the aspirant sponsored by Yusuf, one of the allies of Aregbesola lost the the Chairmanship ticket for Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA to Abiodun Agbaje, who won the primary with 23 Votes.
Also in Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Balogun Idris, the Aspirant from the Orelope-Adefulire camp won with 17 votes, while Kazeem Adeniran and Egunjobi Rasak polled eight votes and one vote respectively.
Orelope-Adefulire choices won the the Chairmanship Primaries for Mosun-Okunola, Alimosho, and Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA.
While Igando-Ikotun LCDA Chairman, Lasisi Akinsanya, who was once loyal to the Aregbesola group, got his second term ticket through his personal relationship and efforts and not courtesy of Aregbesola group.
Sources in APC disclosed that a lot of Aspirants in the Six Councils in Alimosho lost the Primaries because of their ties with Aregbesola.
An APC Chieftain who claimed anonymity revealed that some members of the group in Egbe-Idimu LCDA have started reaching out to the other groups, in other to remain relevant within the party.
He said: “I received a call recently, the caller is the aide to Egbe-Idimu LCDA Chairman, Kunle Sanya-Olu Olowoopejo, who has left the council boss to pitch his tent with the Orelope-Adefulire group.
“I know this will happen because the council Chairman, who is a senior member of the Aregbesola’s group, has serve his term and efforts to secure the party ticket for their member has proven abortive.
“This primary was the only thing still giving the group any relevance within the party and since they could not achieve their aim during the LG primaries, it is obvious that they have lost out completely and the structure does not exist in Alimosho again.
“This is why the victory for many who had endured the torture from the Aregbesola’s group are rejoicing today that the group’s structure has been pulled down completely within Alimosho”, he added.
Following this development, Aregbesola ‘s has finally lost his stronghold, as he has remained irrelevant since leaving the APC.
His followers who are still in the Party are been witch hunted for still aligning with him.
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