Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former Interior Minister and ex-Governor of Osun State has seek forgiveness from members of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State attributing the crisis that rocked the party in the state to handiwork of the devil.
Aregbesola spoke in Osogbo, while addressing a supporters at a rally to welcome him back to the state after leaving office as a minister recently and regretted that his advice to his successor, Adegboyega Oyetola, was misinterpreted and eventually caused disagreement in the party.
He acknowledged the sacrifices some aggrieved All Progressives Congress members made for the successes his administration recorded when he was the governor of Osun State.
He, however, sought forgiveness from anyone who felt aggrieved and also paid tribute to the president, Bola Tinubu, for allowing him to serve as a commissioner in Lagos State before helping him emerge as governor in Osun State.
Aregbesola, who spoke in Yoruba, further said, “I am here today for reconciliation. Some of the things I did that made you love me—I’m not the only person who did those things. The people who turned themselves into enemies today took part in it with me.
“Even though in the last four years, the devil wanted to use some of our people, after the Supreme Court judgement in 2020, we were together in this place (Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo), where we called on our people to be united.
“I said on that day I had done my own and handed over to the person I wanted, but I warned that it was then left for the person I handed over to be a good person and that I would be the king’s father.
“That was what they misinterpreted. I didn’t ask them for anything, and with all I did then, they didn’t want to be with us, but if there is any other sin I don’t know about, I seek forgiveness.”
So also, at a grand luncheon in his honour, Rauf Aregbesola, on Saturday, said he would be devoting more time to politics and would soon embark on a statewide tour to sensitise people in the state.
The former governor of Osun State also commended the state government for keeping the state safe, adding that the move had encouraged social interactions amongst residents in the state.
Aregbesola acknowledged that all the activities organised to welcome him back to the state after completing his tenure as a minister took place in a peaceful atmosphere.
He said, “Osun State Government, we belong to a different party to the one controlling the government presently. They are in the PDP and we belong to the APC. But they were not scared to allow us to hold our events.
“They received us with love and joy. No problem whatsoever. No firing of gunshots. We were not subjected to any form of intimidation. We appreciate the state government.
“Now, I am back to full politics. I will devote more time to politics. We will start moving around our communities to sensitise our people.”
The Chairman of the Planning Committee for the programme and former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Dr Najeem Salaam, in his speech, lauded Aregbesola’s leadership qualities.
