Former Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola has said that he begged Governor Gboyega Oyetola not to destroy the All Progressive Congress in Osun for two years but the Governor refused to listen.
Aregbesola, while addressing crowd of supporters in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of Osun on Thursday, said he knew that the implications of weakening the APC ahead of the election were grave not only for Osun but for Nigeria.
The former Governor said having failed to perform to the expectations of the people of Osun, there is nothing wrong if the people remove him.
He said those who are not well informed about the situation of the party in Osun could castigate him. He however said the failure of Oyetola to provide good governance and denigration of the achievements of eight years in his four years are enough to make the common man angry.
“I worked very hard to ensure Oyetola’s election. It was however a rude shock when he got into office and started a grand witch-hunt against me. We campaigned for Oyetola through thick and thin to make him Governor. It was however surprising to see how he was doing to me when he got to the office.
“When he started doing it, I sent emissaries and started begging him. This went on for two years. I continued to send emissaries to him to appeal to him. I begged him too. I even told him not to like me at all, but not destroy my good works or personality. He did not heed to this. He kept on with his witch-hunt.”
“He said I did not support him to become Governor. I appealed to him that he may not even like me, but he should not tarnish my image or destroy my legacies and that of our party, the true progressives in Osun politics. He did not listen. He was bent on destroying me and that’s what he has done.
“After two years, genuine party leaders gathered together with the sole aim of rescuing our party from these marauders. That is what we are here to do. We were the ones who sweat hard for the progress and success our party has achieved. We brought the former party Chairman, (Famodun) from the PDP. It is time to send them packing.”
Governorship aspirant, Moshood Adeoti, while speaking, assured party members that he would not disappoint them.
Adeoti said God has His purposes for everything adding that God has destined him to again seek their votes on the platform of the party.
“I can assure you that we would cover up for the lost grounds. Eight years of Ogbeni with massive achievements are being eroded. But we shall bring back the glory,” he said.