The political family of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has declared its decision to quit the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State, has had a running battle with President Bola Tinubu and the party hierarchy for some years now. This political squabble resulted in the whittling of his political influence in Lagos and Osun.
In a statement made available to Huhuonline.com on Monday, Aregbesola’s political structure said it was pulling out of the ruling party.
The political family did not say whether the former minister would leave the APC with the aggrieved members, but said that he commended the members for their commitments.
The statement signed by Abosede Oluwaseun, the group’s Organising and Publicity Secretary, said the decision was unanimously taken after a session ratifying the earlier resolution of members from the 332 wards of Osun at their monthly meeting in Ilesa on Sunday.
The party members alleged that they had been ostracised from the APC while some of their members had been suspended or expelled without fair hearing. They also complained about the continuous denigration of the structure.
The aggrieved lawmakers also expressed dissatisfaction with the management of Osun APC’s intra-party crisis which led to the party’s abysmal loss in the last election cycle adding that this had reduced the party’s strength and popularity among the people of Osun.
“The members were put to a voice vote by the leadership of the fold where they affirmed their readiness to switch allegiance to another political camp ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state,” the statement said.
The statement quoted Aregbesola as thanking the members for their steadfastness to the principles of character, integrity and good governance.
The statement also quoted Aregbesola as saying it was time to work aggressively for the success of Omoluabi Progressives and its vision to entrench good governance in Osun.
According to the statement, Aregbesola said, “I am indeed happy that all of you have spoken with one voice. It is not just one voice but a united front to lead the way to our collective victory in the journey ahead.
“I wish to remind you that the journey we are embarking on now is to further raise the level of prosperity of our dear state through responsible leadership.
“The path we have toed is a smooth path, highly reassuring and full of good tides that will propel our dear state to greatness. Therefore, you must show more commitment and attract genuine people who are ready to walk this path of righteousness with us.
“We are open to all regardless of political, religious, or socio-cultural leanings. We have the numbers, strength, and political acumen to provide a leadership that will make Osun the toast of its peers. By the grace of God, we shall succeed.”
