A former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola is back to Lagos to assist the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC , reverse the misfortune it suffered during the presidential and National Assembly election in the state.
Aregbesola who is also the Minister of Internal Affairs was seen in a viral video appealing to leaders of the party in Alimosho to ensure that the APC emerge winner in the governorship election this weekend.
The meeting he had with a cross section of APC leaders, Including Igbo APC supporters came amidst fear that the party will struggle to return Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to office.
“Tinubu is the leader of the party and head of Lagos party, ” he said, adding “Asiwaju has changed o, he’s no longer the National Leader, he’s now the President-elect. If we want to have the benefits of all the labour of over 30 years, since you have been with this tendency and the formation of it………. some of you have been with us since the days of SDP……..someone like Okonkwo has been with us since the days of SDP in 1988, that’s over 30 years: SDP to AD, to AC, to ACN and now APC. If you want all those efforts not to go into waste, I beg us let us vote APC.
“So that we can marry the benefits of Asiwaju presidency with the joy of having our party in power in Lagos. That is the message. All those efforts since 1988 will just be a waste if you bring in somebody that will be in opposition to Asiwaju,” the minister said.
The APC is still in shock after its candidate, now President elect lost the state to Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party, LP, the very first time since 1999 that the ruling party had been so defeated in its stronghold.
This must not be allowed to happen in the governorship election, where incumbent Governor Sanwo-Olu is facing the battle of his life to be re-elected , some leaders of the party said, and as such they are now doing everything to ensue that the party wins both the governorship and House of Assembly election on March 18.
The ruling party has been closing ranks among it members, appealing to aggrieved leaders who are not happy with the party, and have worked against its interests in the past and during the just concluded election.
For instance, Aregbesola, it would be recalled worked against the APC in the Osun State governorship election, won by Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP last year.
Before the election, Aregbesola said unprintable things about Tinubu, including that the former Lagos governor had made himself an emperor , and that he’s playing God.
Since that loss, the relationship between the former allies, many insist, had broken down completely, and to show they were no longer together the minister avoided the presidential campaign organised by the party for Tinubu, he did not also vote during the election, as those close to him told the magazine he was away in Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj at the time.
Notwithstanding the animosity he has shown to the party, sources close to Tinubu disclosed on Monday that the minister needed to be brought back because what matters to the party now is how to win the election.
“As policians we agree and disagree. We will bring everybody back so long they will add value to our camp to retain Lagos. Aregbesola is one of the respected leaders of the party. He may have had instances when he disagree with the decision of the party, but what is important now is that he’s back with us and helping the party,” a source who craved anonymity said.
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