Aregbesola never declared himself godfather of Osun politics ―Ex-aide

A Special Adviser in the administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola in Osun State, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, on Sunday, countered a media report which quoted Aregbesola as saying that he is now the “godfather” of Osun politics.

Okanlawon, who said he personally witnessed the event held to celebrate the Supreme Court judgment which declared Governor Gboyega Oyetola as the validly-elected governor of the state, added that it would amount to an error of judgment to interpret what Aregbesola said to mean that he had declared himself as the “godfather.”

“I was at that event and I heard him very clearly. Yes! Aregbesola was excited that the wish of the generality of Osun people and that a good successor that would carry on with the people-oriented programmes of his administration had been successfully installed, he only prayed that Governor Oyetola, after a successful completion of his tenures, would also succeed in installing a successor to equally carry on with the progress of the state,” Okanlawon said.

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The former governor’s aide said with Lagos being the only state where succession had been successfully managed in favour of the ruling party, it was only expected that the former governor would be prayerful that the trend continues in Osun State.

“Don’t forget that Aregbesola is a man with the utmost respect for hierarchy in leadership structure.

“With the like of our leader and former Governor Bisi Akande and other eminent politicians of the progressive clan in the state, it would amount to committing hara-kiri for him to so declare himself as the godfather of Osun politics.

“Both Aregbesola and Oyetola have never for once hidden their convictions in the pre-eminence of Chief Akande in the affairs of progressive politicians in particular and Osun in general,” Okanlawon said