Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, reportedly refused to shake hands or sit next to the All Progressive Congress, APC, National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore and Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola during the South-West presidential aspirants and leaders on Friday in Lagos.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that the crisis between Aregbesola and Oyetola became public knowledge after the minister opposed the governor’s second term bid in Osun State.
According to PUNCH, when Aregbesola was about to have his seat at the meeting, he asked the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, “Governor of Lagos, where is my seat?”
Sanwo-Olu replied, “Sir, (it is) beside Baba – Omisore.”
After Aregbesola’s objection, others at the meeting subsequently intervened by declaring free sitting in a short video that surfaced online.
However, Aregbesola greeted Bola Tinubu and was embraced by both Akande and Osoba, including others, when he arrived at the meeting.
“Aregbesola was expected to sit down next to Omisore and Oyetola, but he refused to associate with them, deciding instead to sit far off. Attempts by the elders to make Aregbesola change his mind proved abortive as he said he didn’t want to be associated with Omisore,” a source said.
The meeting was convened by the former interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, and a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba.
At the meeting, Akande called on all aspirants and governors to ensure that they carry on with their campaigns with decorum.
The APC chieftain was said to have called on them to put the interest of the South-West first and ensure that they would not lose the ticket at the primary, which comes up at the end of the month.
A source said, “Baba Akande said it is better for one of us to have the Presidency than for none of us to have it. He said we should carry on our campaigns with decorum. The ultimate goal is to have a small number of aspirants through consensus. However, this will be discussed in subsequent meetings.
“Everything was done to ensure that the impression was not given that Baba Akande was supporting anyone. They also will encourage consensus among all aspirants in order to strengthen the unity of the Yoruba,” he said.