After the resent outbursts from Rauf Aregbesola on the fracas between him and his benefactor Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Many self writers and bloggers has written many pieces for and against. In some of these articles Aregbe was described as an ingrate and betrayal of his benefactor and he was referred to as a man picked from gutter by a political money bag and turned to a great man.
According to them Aregbe was nobody before Tinubu made him what he is today. Some believe Aregbe was not in a public space before 1999 and no one heard of him before he was made a commissioner under Tinubu administration and propel to become Governor of Osun by the same benefactor.
My questions are was Aregbesola a nobody before 1999? Was he really a man from gutter?
Who was Aregbesola before and after 1999.
Aregbesola was neither a rich man or a poor man. He had a private company after graduation and he worked to sustained his family. He was not known for begging to
feed his family.
He was an activist since his student age and he partook in the student politics of his institution. At the early struggle against Military according to an erudite human right activist Comrade Debo Adeniran
“Honestly he didn’t play prominent role during those years. But he later identified with the popular struggles. He was close to Baba Omojola, GG Darah, Comrade Ola Oni, Comrade Gbega Awosode, Abiodun Aremu etc”
His involvement in politics date back early 90s during the struggle to return Nigeria back to democracy. Aregbe was under the leadership of Baba Dapo Sarumi and others not under Tinubu. In the 80s no one heard of Tinubu in Nigeria political space. He was in US chilling and making Millions of dollars.
Tinubu came home to participate in politics in 1992 and he was elected as a Senator representing Lagos West Constituents. In june 1990 before Tinubu join politics Rauf Aregbesola became an elected delegate to Social Democracy Party SDP Inaugural Local Government Area Congress. In July of the same year, he was a delegate to it’s first National Conversation in Abuja.
During this period Tinubu was not yet prominent in Lagos politics, he came later to join the race. As it’s common in Nigeria politics only the riches dictate the tune while the poor dance to the lyrics. Aregbesola and Tinubu ways started to comes across after Dapo Sarumi and Femi Agbalajobi fought for the ticket of SDP lost to Femi Otedola.
It was also report that Aregbesola contested for House of Representatives during this period. Aftermath of annulment of June 12 election Tinubu become one of the major financer of NADECO and Aregbesola is one of the active member of NADECO..
During this struggle Aregbe was not a push away member, he was so prominent in the front of struggle against Military. Tinubu was away, he was on exil between 1994 to 1998 though playing an active role abroad.
Aregbesola as a pro-democracy and human right activist, was a major participate in the demilitarization and pro-democracy struggle of 1990s in Nigeria.
In 1999 upon the return of the country to democratic rule, He was a ranking member of Alliance for Democracy while Tinubu was a protégé of Alliance for Democracy (AD) leaders Abraham Adesanya and Ayo Adebanjo. Tinubu won the AD primaries for the Lagos State governorship elections in defeating Funsho Williams and Wahab Dosunmu.
Rauf Aregbesola was the Director of Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign Organization (BATCO), Who drove the electoral victory of Bola Tinubu in 1999. Does Rauf looks like a man from gutter in any way? Where in this world a non-entity or a man from gutter emerged as a Campaign Director for a Millionaire Governor. Aregbesola political profile was overwhelmingly intimidating to deserve that position.
His becoming a commissioner was as a result of his political sagacity not a favour, he deserved it. He was neither picked from gutter or canal but he is a partner in progress to Tinubu political achievement.
In 2003 second term reelection of his master Aregbesola perform a similar feat with the platform of the independent Campaign Group, with which he ensured the re-election of Tinubu for a second term in office.
Aregbesola was/is not a push away in Tinubu life the second term ambition of Tinubu was the most difficult term to achieve, all thanks to Allah, then Aregbesola who put his life on line to dare Obasnjo attempt to takeover Lagos State from AD the same way he did in Oyo, Osun, Ondo Ogun and Ekiti.
Aregbesola was reported to have entered the INEC office with explosive and threatening to detonate the explosive if the INEC dare to announce another result different from original result and people’s wishes.
Aregbesola aggressiveness saved Lagos from going the way of other Southwest states, if this story was truth, then. that singlar act was the reason while the southwest returned to the progressive today.
In other to hijacked power back for progressive in Osun the state which was under the control of a retire General as the governor. Aregbesola was giving the hardest assignment and he fought for seven good years with support of his boss and won. Is this a favour or task?.
Now ask yourself was Aregbesola a gutter or canal man or a factor to reckon with in the political achievement of progressive in Nigeria or not? Let ask ourselves did Aregbesola deserve what he gained from Tinubu or he was just an opportunist?
Any fight between Aregbesola and Tinubu is a plus for the enemy of progressive and it will definitely have negative effect on Jagaban future political career. As Tinubu hasn’t fight alone since beginning of his political career without Aregbesola, his most trusted and fearless soldier.
A nineteen that do away with one would never become twenty.
