…THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE INFIGHT BETWEEN AREGBESOLA AND TINUBU
By Abdul Lateef Taiwo
Former Lagos State governor , Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the self-acclaimed Leader of the All Progressive Congress , APC has denied any rift between him and unarguably his closest. Ally and now minister of Interior Ogbeni Raulf Aregbesola, his Commissioner of Work when he was governor of Lagos State.
There have been strong indication that Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and his political ally Rauf Aregbesola have fallen apart despite the denial www.towncrier.ng investigation has revealed.
Rauf was Tinubu’s Commissioner for Works, at the end of his tenure, Tinubu pushed him to Osun State and made him governor, after his tour of Osun State, and he was Tinubu’s choice for ministerial appointment and has remained Tinubu’s “Man Friday” heading the most influential political Group in Lagos State, the Mandate.
In Lagos politics there exist two political Groups who decides who becomes what, the mandate Group and the Governor Advisory Council ( GAC) and the Mandate Group.
While the GAC leader consist of Tinubu, the Governor of Lagos State with other senatorial Leaders, the Mandate Group, the mandate Group, formed in 2003 as Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign Organization ( BACO) with Rauf Aregbeshola, James Odumbakun and Banire, as the main drivers of the organization, the organization later transformed and rechristened as Mandate Group, which aim and objective was to maintain their hold on Lagos politics and also to tackle the Mufutau Hamza’s led Justice Forum, Mufutau Hamza, is the father of the present deputy governor of Lagos state.
While it lasted Tinubu was like the prime Minister of Lagos, while Aregbesola was his alter ego.
So influential was Aregbesola hold on Lagos that when things were falling apart for Akinwumi Ambode, he ran to Osun State for reprieve. It did not come however, but Tinubu has since denied the rift, he attempted the clarifications through his aide Tunde Rahaman in a statement that admitted without conceding that the dissolution of the Aregbesola ‘s mandate Group was a knee jerk reactions from the Tinubu’s camp.
Rahaman statement partly stated that the Minister and himself still have a healthy relationship. He alleged that “ The Governor’s Advisory Council ( GAC) headed by Ahmed Tinubu appropriate and candid resolution doing away with blocs in the All Progressive Congress ( APC) in the state, including the Mandate Group has led to a phantom cold war between Aregbesola and Ahmed Bola Tinubu”
The statement read in parts “ Today , the Governing Advisory Council ( GAC) , the highest decision making body within the All Progressive Congress ( APC) in Lagos state, passed a resolution calling for the disbandment of all factional groups within the Party, this was to promote discipline, harmony and cohesiveness and engender Party supremacy, the All Progressives Congress( APC) is one united political family in Lagos state” he stated.
Continued Tinubu in the statement stated “The GAC is a strong body within APC in Lagos state, its resolution is not targeted at any particular individual or collection of individuals”
“The resolution was to restate the often stated position that the only Group known to us is APC and not any of the factional Groups. It is to renew the Commitment to APC and its Unity.
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, is a strong member of the political Family. The GAC position does not imply any division within the group, the resolution is well meaning and should not be misinterpreted” Rahaman struggled to cast wrinkles on the narratives.
If this statement from Tinubu was meant to douse the suspicion and fear that the Tinubu’s political empire is on a free fall, Towncrier source within the party said “ The statement shows there is problem, if there was discipline, cohesiveness and harmony why the dissolution? This was the group that has been in existence since 2003, it is the structure Tinubu used for his second term, it was the same mandate Group that installed Fashola and Akinwumi Ambode, as Governors, at what point did Tinubu realized that the Group has become an agent of distablization”? Asked Towncrier Source.
Indeed the undercurrent threatening Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s control of Lagos politics and the South west is both within and without.
Two weeks ago Rauf Aregbesola, Tinubu’s age long political associate and protégé, had revamped the Mandate Group, The Tinubu core supporters Group and appointed his protégé Abdulahi Enilolobo, as the new Chairman, removing Tinubu’s right hand man, James Odumbakun, who was “ elevated to Apex Leader” a rank Considered to be meaningless in the scheme of things.
The appointment of James Odumbakun, if anything offered insight into the emerging crack in Tinubu’s political Dynasty. For instance the Towncrier gathered that if the appointment was a mere coincident with the 63rd birthday of Aregbesola, for the first time since the formation of the Mandate Group, Aregbesola decided to house the group at Ikeja GRA in a house formerly own by Musilu Obanikoro.
Since 2003 the Mandate Group has never rented an office until a day after the birthday, Towncrier gathered.
The current cold war between Aregbesola and his “partner” Tinubu, comes with deja’vu , Towncrier learnt it might not be unconnected with the Augean stable Aregbesola left behind in Osun state and the battle for the control of Lagos state 2023.
Apart from the heavy debt left behind in Osun State, Governor Oyetola, Aregbsola’s successor, Tinubu’s cousin , who served as Chief of Staff to Rauf Aregbesola, has been quietly complaining about Osun’s finances that he inherited from Ogbeni Aregbesola.
Apart from the heavy debt burden inform of unpaid salaries , Oyetola was also not happy about Aregbesola’s tinkling with the administration of the state in the dying days of his eight years in Osun state, which has made governance cumbersome.
Oyetola, after his swearing in as the governor of Osun state, Towncrier checks revealed series of reversal of the policy in the state, for instance changing of School Uniform, reclassification of the public schools system and abolish of single sex schools which Aregbesola introduced in 2013.
Also the state is now back to its constitutional name Osun State.
For governor Oyetola and Aregbesola, the relationship has not been sparkling.
For this policy Governor Nasir Elrufai of Kaduna state, is one of his fans.
Elrufai loves Aregbesola but detest Tinubu, on May 25, when Aregbesola marked his 63rd birthday with a virtual colloquium, Nasir elrufai an unlikely partner of Aregbesola took the shine of the celebrants when he told the virtual gathering that he copied Aregbesolas policy and style of leadership to develop Kaduna state.
Again, Elrufai had in the past spoken about how to end godfatherisim in Lagos state, an apparent snide at Tinubu who has controlled the state since 1999.
But Towncrier gathered that Elrufai is not only Tinubu’s opponent, Aregbesola is becoming comfortable recently, his recent closeness to Ibukunle Amosun, the former governor of Ogun State is said to have rattled the Tinubu’s camp.
Indeed after the birthday he played host to key members of the Mandate Group at his residence Ikeja GRA, in attendance were also Senator Solomon Adeola, Senator for Lagos west, Tayo Ayinde, Sanwolu’s Chief of Staff and Enilolobo and Senator Sikiru “ pepper “ Osinowo.
Indeed there has been suspicion that the allegations of corruption and rut in the Lagos state house of Assembly is an extension of the cold war between Aregbesola and Tinubu.
Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker of the assembly is a die-hard Tinubu loyalist.
Towncrier source alleged that there is a gang up between Aregbesola , Senator Osinowo representing Lagos East , Senator Olamilekan Solomon , Lagos West , and Tayo Ayinde, the Chief of Staff to the governor to weaken the influence of Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker Lagos House of assembly. They are all members of the mandate Group.
“In view of this Towncrier gathered , Aregbesola drafted one of his stooge Abdullahi Ayinde Enilolobo to head the Mandate Group while the likes of James Odumbakun aka Baba Eto and Alhaji Badmus was relegated and compelled to support Enilolobo” said a well informed source.
Until the emergence of the Aregbesola’s Mandate Group, the group had no official Office , “ They either use Aregbesola’s residence in GRA , Dopemu or Cardina James Odumbaku’s residence “ Said our source.
The last is yet to be heard as Tinubu fights from all front to sustain his turbulent political career ahead 2023.