APC Suspends Aregbesola

The Osun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared the immediate suspension of Rauf Aregbesola, the state’s former governor, pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings against him.

The suspension follows a resolution by the APC’s Ilesa East Local Government Executive Committee, which called for Aregbesola to face disciplinary action for anti-party conduct.

The Ilesa East Exco feels that prompt punishment will restore party discipline and discourage other members from indulging in anti-party activity.

In a Resolution submitted to the APC’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and seen by our reporter, the Osun State APC Executive Committee stated that the allegations levelled against Aregbesola include party fictionalisation, i.e., forming splinter groups and parallel organs, collaborating with opposition parties to unsettle the APC in Osun, and public outbursts against party leaders, including President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The former governor, who served two terms and was a close associate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has faced criticism within and beyond the party for his apparent backing for opposition groupings during the previous election cycle.

Meanwhile, the State Disciplinary Committee, appointed by the Osun State Exco, has written to Aregbesola, asking a formal answer to guarantee due process in compliance with the party constitution.

A member of Ilesa East’s Local Government Executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that Aregbesola was suspended after an extensive inquiry into the claims.

In response to the suspension, sources close to Aregbesola described the allegations and suspension as politically motivated, alleging that they were part of a deliberate attempt by the state’s APC leadership to remove the former governor from the party.

However, as of the time of this report, Aregbesola had made no official statement regarding the suspension, leaving the situation open to many interpretations.