The decision by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to expel former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from the party, appears to have thrown his camp into another round of confusion, with members of the camp finding it difficult to take a decisive step as to what they want to do.

Findings by Daily Sun revealed that majority of the young elements within the Aregbesola camp appear to be favourably disposed to returning to the APC, to work for its victory, in next year?s governorship election in Osun, provided the party?s candidate comes from the Osun West Senatorial District, while the older elements are pushing for a working relationship with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State. Yet, there are those within the camp who want the group to join the Mallam Nasir El-Rufai?s Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Aregbesola, for the better part of 2018-2022, the period that saw his successor, Adegboyega Oyetola, rule Osun on the platform of the APC, waged relentless war against the government and the party, to the extent of floating a parallel exco of the party, and named it The Osun Progressives (TOP).

TOP, which at some point became the major opposition voice in the state, made unsuccessful attempts through the court to supplant the candidature of Oyetola in the 2022 governorship election.

In the end, APC lost the attempt to retain the state, with some members of TOP collaborating with the PDP during the election, while some formally defected to the PDP ahead of the election. Once the new PDP government was formed, three TOP members were appointed commissioners and special advisers, while some were handed board appointments.

There are, however, indications that the ?Terms and Conditions? of the collaboration between the PDP and TOP were not strictly adhered to after the election, a situation that forced some prominent members of TOP to stay away from the PDP-led government in Osun.

After some back and forth between TOP and the APC, one of the leaders of TOP and former Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam, in December 2022, announced the dissolution of TOP, and expressed the willingness of the group to reunite with the APC. However, in dissolving TOP, the group in quick succession announced the birth of its new nomenclature, ?Omoluabi Progressives?.

Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital, Salam, who spoke on behalf of the group said ?I am here to announce the dissolution of factional tendencies of all shades in the party with the sole objective of harmonising all core OMOLUABI PROGRESSIVES on a rebuilding mission that will bring us back to the leadership of our state and people.

?We are hereby dissolving The Osun Progressives (TOP) and the faction of party associated with it to facilitate the unity of purpose that this time requires. For effective closure, we will have a truth and reconciliation forum within the party when fully restructured with a sole purpose of preventing any recurrence of the ugly past. With this hand of fellowship and the olive branch, it is my belief that a new vista of hope, vision, passion and action will emerge in our party.

?We are OMOLUABI in politics and everything we do. Omoluabi is the Yoruba encapsulation of the total person. An Omoluabi is a person of honour and integrity. An Omoluabi is chivalrous, enlightened, spiritual, kind-hearted and public-spirited. An Omoluabi is not greedy, vicious, selfish or self-serving. Omoluabi personifies the very best of virtues.?

In response to the call from the Aregbesola?s group, the APC Chairman in Osun, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, noted that the party was open to reconciling with the group, provided the reconciliation was done with genuine intention.

Lawal said: ?The state leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Osun received the news of the decision by ?The Osun Progressives (TOP)? to formally disband the group and the factional executives at all levels of the party in the state with an open arm which, it is believed, would translate to the reinvigoration of the party in all ramifications.

?The decision of TOP to tow the path of working with the mainstream is a welcome development as our leader, the immediate-past Governor Gboyega Oyetola, is also favourably disposed to any genuine and authentic reconciliation. Therefore, we call on all members of the now disbanded group to reintegrate with the party at their respective wards and local governments and join in the party?s activities towards the 2023 General Elections in respect of the Presidential, National and State Assemblies Election.?

Unfortunately, as the two camps operated at different wavelengths during the 2022 governorship election in the state, the gulf was further widened during the 2023 general elections. After the 2023 general elections, both parties moved on, with the mainstream APC calling for heavy sanctions against the Aregbesola?s camp. In the aftermath of the call, some members of the Aregbesola?s camp were either suspended or expelled from the party. This remained the situation until January this year when the Osun APC summoned the courage to announce the expulsion of Aregbesola from the party, a thing many chieftains of the party had been clamouring for, long before the 2022 governorship election.

Announcing his expulsion, the Osun APC said it was expelling the former governor over anti party activities.

In a letter signed by the APC chairman and secretary in Osun, Tajudeen Lawal, Alao Olabisi Kamoru, respectively, the party said ?we write to formally bring to your attention the findings and resolution arising from the disciplinary process initiated concerning allegations of anti-party activities levelled against you by the disciplinary committee, where you were given an opportunity to be beard in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

?At the end of the investigation, the State Executive Committee (SEC) considered the report of the disciplinary committee. Having carefully considered the findings and recommendations of the committee, SEC resolved to accept the recommendation of your immediate expulsion from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

?The decision was predicated on the clear evidence of your actions, which undermined the unity and integrity of the party in violation of the provisions of Article 21 of the APC Constitution guiding the conduct and discipline of members.

?As a result, with the approval of your expulsion, you cease to be a member of APC. Consequently, you are not to hold yourself out as a member or act in any capacity on behalf of the party in any manner whatsoever.

?While acknowledging your past contributions to the party, we trust that you will comply with this decision and act according to the directives in this communication,? Osun APC added.

Many had thought that Aregbesola would challenge his expulsion. But he disappointed many by refusing to lift a finger. Perhaps, the mere fact he already made up his mind to quit the party could also have been responsible for his posture, as his group -Omoluabi Progressives had announced its exit from the APC, two weeks before the party?s leadership found the courage to show the former Interior Minister the exit door.

However, four months after promising to announce their next bus stop, Omuluabi Progressives appears to be in limbo. But some of their members who are flippant had hinted that they were on their way to the SDP, even when the chairman of the group, Alhaji. Abdulazeez Adesiji said, ?we have not joined SDP. It is not true. We have not made a decision. We are having a meeting very soon. We are forming our Exco from the unit to the state level. When we are done with the Exco, we will go for convention and mending our party.?

All said and done, the options before Aregbesola are not too many: join the SDP, remain floating as Omoluabi and collaborate with the PDP, join the proposed new party or swallow his pride and return to the APC. Whichever option he decides to take will no doubt have a dire consequence on his political career and that of his followers, who appear to be getting frustrated by the seemingly lack of direction of the leadership of the group.

Attractive as the SDP option looks, the mere fact that former Osun State Deputy Governor and immediate past National Secretary of the APC, Otunba Iyiola Omisore had a hand in its formation at the early stage, would make Aregbesola think twice before embracing the option. For now, Aregbesola appears to still be weighing his options. But Daily Sun can authoritatively reveal that the day he openly identifies with forces plotting to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that day, he will lose the remaining followership he has in Lagos, as they will denounce him so as to continue to get accommodation within the Lagos APC. The ball is in Aregbesola?s court. (Daily Sun)

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