Osun APC says good riddance to Aregbesola’s group

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Following Sunday’s declaration by the former governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, and his group, the Omoluabi Progressives, announcing their exit from the mainstream All Progressives Congress (APC), the state chapter of the party on Monday described the development as “good riddance to bad rubbish.”

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The party noted that Mr Aregbesola, who is also the immediate past Minister for Internal Affairs and his splinter group, had discreetly left the APC over three years ago, stressing that “the preposterous announcement of the so-called Omoluabi Progressives to quit the APC is a good riddance to bad rubbish.”

In a statement forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES by the APC’s Director of Media and Information in Osun State, Kola Olabisi, the party stated that “we are not perturbed by the announcement of the group to quit the mainstream of the party in the state, which they had left since 2022.”

The statement reads: “In the first instance, the kernel of the statement by the dissidents’ group amounted to a confused pack of rudderless political elements who were approbating and reprobating at the same time as it is on record that a sizeable number of them have either been expelled or suspended from the party.

“We, in the Osun State APC, shall be happy to miss the political irritants and deviants who had since left the party by way of body and soul before the 2022 governorship election in the state. You cannot be saying you are in our party and be working against the interests of the same party.

“You are agents of the PDP in Osun State, and you are still of service to the ruling party in the state. What we are seeing with hindsight is that the hand is proverbially that of Jacob, while the voice is identifiable to Isau. We shall be ready for the antics of the political renegades.

“We are not bothered by the action of the frustrated and expired politicians. The recent announcement of your either forming or joining another party is the imminent beginning of your political funeral, which will end up in your final burial through the 2026 governorship election,” the statement concluded.

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It is recalled that the Omoluabi Progressives, in a statement issued by its publicity and organising secretary, Abosede Oluwaseun, on Sunday night, announced the group’s exit from the mainstream APC in Osun State.

The group noted that their resolve to quit APC followed a consensus vote by its stakeholders after the ratification of resolutions of members from the 332 wards of Osun at its monthly meeting in Ilesa on Sunday.

They attributed their exit from the opposition party to ostracisation from the APC, suspension and expulsion of their leaders without a fair hearing, and continuous denigration of the structure, among others.

The group also expressed dissatisfaction with the management of Osun APC’s intra-party crisis, which led to the party’s abysmal loss in the 2022 governorship poll, a situation they agreed had waned its strength and popularity among the people of Osun.

According to the statement, “The members were put to a voice vote by the leadership of the fold, where they affirmed their readiness to switch allegiance to another political camp ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state.

Addressing members of the Omoluabi Progressives during the stakeholders’ meeting, Mr Aregbesola was quoted as commending them for their commitment and steadfastness to character, integrity, and good governance.

He also assured that the results of the ongoing efforts by the group’s leadership to properly position it for the task ahead will materialise soon.

Mr Aregbesola said, “I am indeed happy that all of you have spoken with one voice. It is not just one voice but a united front to lead the way to our collective victory in the journey ahead.

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“I wish to remind you that the journey we are embarking on now is to further raise the level of prosperity of our dear state through responsible leadership. The path we have toed is a smooth path, highly reassuring and full of good tides that will propel our dear state to greatness. Therefore, you must show more commitment and attract genuine people who are ready to walk this path of righteousness with us.”

Earlier in his remark, chairperson of Omoluabi Progressives Azeez Adesiji said that with members’ resolve to align with a novel political platform, efforts will not be spared to reorient them on the ethos of true progressivism, which is the hallmark of the Omoluabi Progressives.