Media Adviser to the Interim National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Sola Fasure has claimed that Governor Ademola Adeleke has lost his political support base and is now operating from a place of panic.
Speaking during a radio programme on Tuesday, Fasure said the recent actions of Governor Adeleke were born out of fear following the visible resurgence of the former governor’s political structure under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Fasure dismissed the claims that Aregbesola launched an attack on Governor Adeleke, clarifying that the former governor made no direct reference to the sitting governor during his recent public outing.
Instead, he said, Aregbesola’s remarks were a broad critique of governance across Nigeria, particularly questioning whether the lives of Nigerians had improved in the last two years.
“The only time Ogbeni Aregbesola mentioned Osun was to emphasise the importance of upcoming elections and to make it clear that his focus is for his party, the ADC, to win in the state,” Fasure stated.
He noted that the size of the crowd that greeted Aregbesola at the event signalled a shift in grassroots support, one that has rattled the Adeleke-led administration.
“When Governor Adeleke and his people saw the mammoth crowd that turned out to welcome Aregbesola, they knew instantly that the game had changed. That crowd was not rented. It sent panic through the government camp,” he added.
Fasure went further to assert that the bulk of Adeleke’s 2022 electoral success came from disenchanted APC members and supporters loyal to Aregbesola who had been sidelined by the ruling party at the time.
According to him, Adeleke merely inherited a divided APC and rode on the back of that crisis to victory.
“Let’s be truthful about it. Most of those who voted for Adeleke were originally Aregbesola’s supporters who were pushed out of APC. The sympathy votes also came from people who ordinarily would have followed wherever Aregbesola pitched his tent,” he said.
He alleged that Adeleke’s fear heightened after Aregbesola officially aligned with the ADC, signalling the beginning of a structured political alternative to both the PDP and the APC in the state.
He added, “Now that Aregbesola has joined a party, Governor Adeleke knows that the real competition has begun. That is why we are seeing panic reactions. That is the real reason behind the baseless attacks and the spin.”
Fasure also said he believes Governor Adeleke may have reflected on his actions and might have been advised against further confrontation.
“I’m sure some people around him must have told him that what he did was unnecessary – that even the APC doesn’t want him and if he insists on forcing himself there, he may end up in deeper crisis. If he has any courage left, he should apologise for that unwarranted attack,” Fasure concluded.
He maintained that the ADC is poised to contest and win the next governorship election in Osun, stressing that the party’s ambition has nothing to do with Adeleke, the APC, or any other political formation.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
