The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, said he was not invited to the peace meeting between the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday.
The PUNCH gathered that the meeting took place at the private residence of Alaafin in a bid to reconcile Tinubu and Aregbesola over their political disagreement.
Reacting to the meeting, Tunde Rahman, Media Adviser to Tinubu, told The PUNCH in a chat that his boss was unopposed to the reconciliatory effort.
In the build-up to the All Progressives Congress governorship primary election in Osun State, Aregbesola attacked Tinubu verbally.
Despite the strong words from Aregbesola, coupled with the crowd that attended the two major rallies his group held ahead of the primary election, Governor Gboyega Oyetola defeated Aregbesola’s anointed candidate, Moshood Adeoti.
Reacting to the meeting, Tinubu’s aide said, “Yes, I saw the pictures of the meeting on social media as you did too. 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, Asiwaju 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.
“If you ask me what Asiwaju’s attitude will be to the reconciliation move, of course, he will welcome and support it. Don’t forget that Asiwaju and the 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 will factor all of that and where both of them are coming from into the reconciliation efforts. He will not oppose the idea.”
The PUNCH gathered that the monarchs would have a separate meeting with Tinubu over his rift with Aregbesola.