How Aregbesola Orchestrated The Return Of Ondo, Ekiti Back To Progressive Fold

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was one of the architects and foundational members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as the first governor to be elected on the platform of the party after his Ekiti State counterpart, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, lost the Ekiti State 2014 gubernatorial election to Ayodele Fayose, just a year after the party was formed.

Aregbesola’s victory boosted the morale ofthe  APC at the 2015 presidential election. This contributed in no small measure in the emergence of late former President Muhammadu Buhari as he defeated the then incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan. Mind you, that was the first time in the chequered political history of the country that an opposition candidate defeated the ruling party. This was a result of vigorous campaigns and strategies deployed by the likes of Aregbesola and other leaders.

Beyond his political base in Osun, his contributions spanned the other five South West states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti, during and after his reign as governor of Osun State, where his impact is still felt today.

While many people have forgotten his indelible landmarks and leadership sagacity so quickly, people like Dr. Najeem Salaam, a former speaker of Osun State House of Assembly for eight years, will not.

Salaam, while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER during his 60th birthday recently, recounted how Aregbesola’s influence across the southwest states helped depose the opposition parties, particularly in Ondo and Ekiti States.

Recall that before the emergence of Fayemi as Ekiti State Governor, the state was under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while Ondo was being controlled by Olusegun Mikiko of the Labour Party for eight years before he was succeeded by late Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC in 2017.

According to Salaam, Aregbesola is not only interested in Osun but the whole Yoruba-speaking states.

He said: “Aregbesola is not only interested in Osun, he shows his interest in our sister states, Ondo and Ekiti – when they were in the opposition then, PDP and Labour Party. Rauf mobilised from Osun, energised the people of Ondo and Ekiti, and eventually, we conquered and won. Now, they are back in the progressives fold.

“People forget things easily, but history is there. They will be reminded at the appropriate time. I know this is not for Rauf but me.  I know some of us cannot write our history without the name of Rauf; it will not be complete.

“Most of us that contested elections since 2007 know what Aregbesola’ contributions to our electoral victories and burnishing our political careers. He always supported us morally, intellectually and resource-wise. People forget good things easily. They always remember the bad side, but people like us will not forget.”

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.

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