Rauf Aregbesola, former governor of Osun, has dismissed reports of an alliance between the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and any other political party in the state ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Aregbesola, the ADC national secretary, spoke on Saturday at
a solidarity rally organised by the party in Ejigbo, Osun state.
In a video of the rally which circulated on Monday, the
former minister of interior also dismissed reports that Najeem Salaam, the
party’s governorship candidate, would step down for another candidate in the
election.
Over the past few days, speculation has been rife on social
media that Aregbesola and the ADC were in talks with the Accord Party to
support the re-election bid of Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun.
The speculation intensified after pictures of Adeleke and
Aregbesola circulated on X.
But dismissing the reports, Aregbesola said no political
party has the financial capacity to buy the ADC’s support base in the state.
“They said we are holding meeting with some people… We are
not in alliance with any political party,” he said.
“No political party can shoulder our responsibility. We are
more in population than any other political party in Nigeria.”
He also said the ADC had previously maintained relationships
with political figures at the top but chose to leave when their relationship
and engagement were no longer working.
“Assuming we were looking for money, we would not part ways
with them. Nobody has the money to buy us. This election we would contest and
win,” he said.
The ADC national secretary cited his political career,
including his eight years as commissioner in Lagos, eight years as governor of
Osun and tenure as minister of interior, as evidence that he was not driven by
money.
He said he would not be pursuing political alliances for
financial gain, adding that the ADC was not poor but would not beg for money.
“We are not poor but we don’t beg. We are not wealthy but we
don’t beg. We at this stage will not be chasing after money,” Aregbesola said.
He said the ADC’s political mission was centred on serving
the people and that its members remained committed to their principles.
“How God will make us the saviour of the masses is our
mission on earth,” he said.
“Whoever you see with us is an honest person. We are here to
serve society. That was the covenant between us and God when we were coming.”
BACKGROUND
The development comes amid a broader political realignment
among key figures in Osun ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
On Sunday, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Osun, and
Iyiola Omisore, ex-deputy governor of the state, declared their support for
Bola Oyebamiji, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the August 15
election.
Oyinlola, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
announced the endorsement alongside Omisore, another prominent Osun politician.
“In this particular moment, Osun State requires a different
direction. It is on this basis that we have resolved to officially declare our
support for Mr Bola Oyebamiji,” Oyinlola said.
The APC flagbearer, in a post on X, described the
endorsement as a reflection of a shared conviction that Osun needs a “new
direction” based on justice, fairness, inclusion and development.
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