Aregbesola: Tinubu will not oppose reconciliation move, says aide

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, will not oppose any moves to reconcile himself and his estranged political godson, Rauf Aregbesola.

Tinubu’s Media Adviser, Tunde Rahman, disclosed this in a chat with Western Post on Tuesday.

Western Post had earlier reported that the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, met with the interior minister on Tuesday, with a view to reconciling him with Tinubu.

When Western Post called Rahman, he said though the former Lagos state governor was not invited to the meeting, the “tremendous respect” he has for the traditional institution and the Alaafin and Ooni in particular would make him welcome the reconciliation move.

Rahman added that being of the same political family would also not make Tinubu oppose the idea.

“Yes I saw the pictures of the meeting on social media as you did too. HE Asíwájú Bola Tinubu was not invited to the meeting. I can tell you that clearly. I believe the two traditional rulers intend to reach out to him later. But let me say this clearly: Asíwájú Tinubu has tremendous respect for the traditional institution and particularly for the two eminent royal fathers.

“You would recall that only recently during his consultations and engagements with traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Oyo and Osun states on his presidential aspiration, he visited and interfaced with HRM Iku Baba Yeye Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and HRM Onirisa, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in their respective domains,” Rahman told Western Post.

“If you ask me what Asiwaju’s attitude would be to the reconciliation move, of course he would welcome and support it. Don’t forget that Asiwaju and the Hon. Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, are from the same political family. Asíwájú appointed him Commissioner for Works for eight years during his time as Lagos governor. He also later drafted him into the Osun governorship race and supported him to be governor in Osun for eight years.

“I think Asiwaju would factor all of that and where both of them are coming from into the reconciliation efforts. He would not oppose the idea,” the media aide added.

Recall that in the build-up to the primary election, Aregbesola had launched a verbal attack on Tinubu, accusing him of turning himself to “a god over us”.