Immediate past Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has sought forgiveness from former Governor Gboyega Oyetola and others, who may have been offended by his actions during the years.
Aregbesola, who served as the Governor of Osun State between 2010 and 2018, handed over power to Oyetola, his former Chief of Staff, after winning the 2018 governorship election.
The former Minister, who had been critical of Oyetola’s re-election and had at different occasions voiced his disapproval of the party elders for not reprimanding Oyetola for overturning his policies, expressed his remorse while addressing his supporters at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo, the state capital.
Speaking during a tour of the palaces of Oba Gabriel Aromolaran, the Owa Obokun, and Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Aregbesola praised former President Muhammadu Buhari for providing him with the opportunity to serve as Minister, as well as thanked President Bola Tinubu for being instrumental to his political journey and entrusting him with power.
In his speech that was delivered in Yoruba; “I have returned to Osun not out of animosity or bitterness, but to reconcile our party. Today, I humbly ask for forgiveness from anyone I have offended. The reason people are applauding my achievements in Osun today is because of the great work I did when I was in government. Those who have now turned against me were once my colleagues in government.”
He acknowledged the role played by President Tinubu in his political success, saying, “I thank God for elevating me from Lagos, with the help of President Bola Tinubu, who is the architect of my success. I spent eight years as a commissioner in Lagos. In 2004, during a meeting in Badagry, we discussed how we could reclaim our states from the opposition party. President Tinubu and other Yoruba elders directed me to come and take over Osun State from the opposition.”
Aregbesola also reflected on his time as Governor, explaining that; “With God’s help and the support of Asiwaju, I was able to excel in my role for eight years, although it was not without its challenges, including those who have now become my adversaries for the past four years.”
He recalled an incident after the Supreme Court ruling in 2019, where he met with the person he handed power over to. Aregbesola explained, “I advised him that I had fulfilled my part and handed over to the person I supported. However, I emphasized the importance of promoting unity within the party. If that were accomplished, I would then serve as a mentor. Unfortunately, they misinterpreted my intentions. When he was in power, I never sought anything from them.