- Sodiq Yusuf
The former Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has expressed optimism that the core progressives will return to power in the state in 2026.
Aregbesola, said with the efforts of the Omoluabi Caucus he is leading, the party will return to winning ways, only if members can unite above their sentiments and join forces with the tendency.
He said the current state of the party is not novel, which stakeholders in the caucus are definitely capable of handling to resuscitate the party back to governing Osun State.
The immediate-past Minister of Interior stated this in an exclusive interview with OSUN DEFENDER TV.
According to Aregbesola, the tendency needs the contributions of every member irrespective of status or background to strengthen the existing bond the foundation members of the party have with the people of the state.
His words: “We must equally realise that very few political leaders generate the enthusiasm we generate whenever we move in any part of the state. I am not bragging about it. I am using it to thank God. I am using it to draw attention of people that there is something important about our personality. So for those who are therefore not happy with that, they are fighting God. What is good for me is just to be quiet about them. I don’t have any response to them.
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“Because it is what we rallied in 2020 which by their own attitude rejected on that brought them down ultimately. What happened in 2020 to 2022 is the fact that having learnt that lesson, we will use a different approach. Go and read my statement that I made both in Yoruba and English, we are clear. How many of them were even with us when we began this? I don’t want to mention names. How many of them were there when we began in 2004.
“People have forgotten that there was no progressive party any more here by the time we came in 2004. So what is my business with people who are just crying, when there is no need for it. What they should do is to embrace us. People have forgotten that by 2022 December, we told the whole world that the humiliation we suffered at the poll in July 2022, was to know that we should all come together on a unified campaign platform to revenge the calamity of a repeat.
“Were we listened to? No. We were labelled, we were castigated and condemned. So the issue is not about us, but the difference now, between what we have said before and now, we want accomodation of all, but if those who think they know it all or they have it all agree, we are ready to work with anybody because progressive tradition is natural to us, we can’t do otherwise.
“As to whether some people worked for another party, let me repeat myself, after you might have become victorious in any state, you are no longer the governor of the party, you are the governor of the state. That’s the meaning of democracy. People confidently forget that all the people in political parties are usually less than 10% of the electorate. No one, all parties combined, do not have more than 10% of the population of the electorate.
“Popular elections are not party elections, parties only present candidates and work for their candidates. Those who vote for or against the party are general public. They are electorates. Being the governor of a state therefore, made me a public figure. There are those who don’t belong to the party that are my favorites, just I have people among them who do not like me. There are people in my party who prefer me to others no matter what, there are those who will not want me. It is normal. So how do I therefore, what power do I have, to manipulate the mind of adults when democracy is about choice.
“Democracy is about a father not being able to force his children who are adults on who to vote for. A husband can not force his wife and a wife can not force her husband. So why should the choice of anybody be my own problem? I can’t understand. It tells you the mindset of those you are dealing with. They don’t even understand democracy and what its means. Politics is contest and competition for power.
“The duty of a politician is to mobilize people to accept his own agenda. It is not in democratic and political activities to pregenhole. No. You don’t discriminate. You must get people around you. So, what we have settled is to use out charisma, our God’s living grace and talent to mobilize maximally for our party. I want to assure you by the grace of God, it is almost certain, that we are taking over the state in 2026,” Aregbesola concluded.
