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The member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Oluwole Oke, said on Sunday that ex-governor Rauf Aregbesola remains a factor in Osun State politics.
Oke, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, however, said if he were in Aregbesola’s shoes, he would make peace with President Bola Tinubu.
A political group backed by Aregbesola Omoluabi Progressives had recently announced its exit from the All Progressives Congress in Osun State.
The exit followed a protracted irreconcilable disagreement with the mainstream APC, fuelled by a fight involving the immediate past governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, and his predecessor, Aregbesola.
But multiple party sources have claimed the disagreement that led Aregbesola out of APC had its root in his falling out with Tinubu over some undisclosed matters.
Commenting on the development relating to Osun politics in a post shared on his page with the name MP Oluwole Oke-BOO, the federal parliamentarian, who confirmed the post in a message to our correspondent, said if he were an APC member, he would have ensured that Aregbesola and Oyetola settle their differences.
While urging the PDP to act fast to gain from the impasse in APC, Oke, currently serving as chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, urged his party to act quickly and pay Aregbesola’s dowry, whom he described as a ‘bride’ in Osun politics.
The post read, “Egbon Rauf ‘Soji Aregbesola, a former Governor of Osun State and Minister for Interior, is an enigma, a grassroots mobiliser, singer, and dancer.
“He is a factor and a BRIDE in Osun politics, truth be told.
“If I am in his shoes, I will go and beg, prostrate, and make peace with my principal, PBAT.
“Assuming I am a Member of APC in Osun State, I will make sure I reconcile Asiwaju Gboyega Oyetola and Ogbeni. Ija o dola…
“PDP needs to act fast, pay necessary dowry, and take in this BRIDE. Symbol, as he is popularly called, is not someone you allow to roam about.
“As our governor then, I wasn’t in his party, AC, ACN, and APC, yet I won my elections. The secret is just The Great People of Ijesa North.
“In Ife/Ijesa Senatorial District, Ogbeni can still pull a minimum of 20,000 votes. In Ijesa North and Ijesa South, Ogbeni can put sand in any person’s gari.”
Emphasising the need for PDP to get Aregbesola, Oke noted that “Any politician who has the capacity to invite 10 to 20 persons (voters or politicians) to a meeting, feed them, and give them a token after the meeting should not be ignored.
“Baba Kabiru is a factor in Osun politics. Please keep this post and get back to me after 2026.”
Earlier, Osun PDP Director of Media and Publicity, Oladele Bamiji, described Aregbesola as a big personality who cannot be dismissed in the Osun political space.
This is as he wooed the ex-gov’s group to consider moving to the party.
