Aregbesola seeks Ooni, Alaafin intervention to resolve feud with Tinubu

…reconciliatory meeting holds at Alaafin’s Ibad an residence

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Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola has sought the intervention of two prominent Yoruba monarchs, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, to resolve his feud with the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Western Post exclusively gathered that both respected Yoruba traditional rulers are expected to meet with Aregbesola at the Ibadan residence of the Alaafin today.

A source who spoke with Western Post on the condition of anonymity, said Aregbesola saw the need to reconcile with Tinubu after he failed in his mission to decimate Asíwájú over what he considered his undue support for Governor Oyetola over his disagreements with the Osun governor.

Aregbesola failed to have his preferred aspirant, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, win the APC governorship primary election in Osun State.

Incumbent Gbogega Oyetola floored his challengers at the direct primary election, polling 222,169 votes to defeat Adeoti, who had 12,921 votes and former House of Representatives Speaker, Lasun Yusuf, who got 460 votes.

In the build-up to the primary election, Aregbesola had launched a verbal attack on Tinubu, accusing him of turning himself to “a god over us”.

“We exalted him beyond his status and he turned himself to a god over us and we had sworn to ridicule anyone who compares himself to God. God has no competitor; He is enough to be God,” Aregbesola said while addressing his loyalists in Ijebu-Ijesha February 14.

A source within the former Osun governor told Western Post that Aregbesola was surprised his move against Tinubu backfired as he received knuckles from across the country and won more converts for Asiwaju after his outburst.

“Aregbesola was surprised that rather than support him in his fight against Asiwaju, many Yoruba monarchs and leaders and other leaders from other parts of the country rebuked him for disrespecting his benefactor.

“He was also shocked at the response he got from Alimosho, which hitherto had been his base in Lagos State,” the source said.

Western Post gathered that this forced the interior minister to seek the intervention of the Ooni and Alaafin who he believed can speak to Tinubu on his behalf.

As of the time of filing this report, the Oba Ogunwusi was already at the venue of the meeting in Ibadan, while Aregbesola arrived much earlier.

Tinubu is however not in attendance, as it is believed that the monarchs will reach out to him at a later date to appeal to him to forgive his political godson.

Western Post further gathered that in a bid to wet the ground for today’s meeting, some associates of Aregbesola ran a full-page advertorial titled “To err is human” in Monday’s edition of The PUNCH, appealing to Asiwaju to forgive Aregbesola.

To wet the ground for today’s meeting with the respected kings, the advertisers under the name, I Believe Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, IBORA, called on both politicians to dialogue.

“Consequently, we call on well-meaning leaders of thought, traditional rulers and religious leaders to please convene a special meeting of reconciliation, as a matter of urgent national importance for the interest of the Yoruba ethnic nationality and Nigeria in general.

“’Agba ki wa loja ki ori omo titun wo’. We can not afford to go to sleep, while there is fire on our roof.

“We appeal to our father, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to send for his estranged godson and resolve this matter within.

“We also enjoin Ogbeni to reach out to Asiwaju, as he has always done in the past on behalf of others to further cement his unflinching loyalty as a son would reach out to his father during disagreements,” part of the advert read.