From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has called on Nigerians to reject the crusade of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola who had made all his money under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and led Osun State into an indebted state.
The Chairman of APM in Osun, Hon. Adewale Adebayo, in a statement on Sunday, declared its party rejection for the coalition and urged Nigerians to beware of the coalition.
He said, “We are deeply concerned about recent moves by some political actors who at one point or another failed Nigerians or did next to nothing when they were entrusted with mandates to lead in one capacity or the other.
“The recent move about the coalition is not wrong politically but we must check the personalities and track record of those behind the crusade before subscribing to their beliefs. These will speak volumes as to its acceptability if we know their motives and antecedents.
“APM reject the coalition in its entirety not because we do not desire better governance but because we have checked the antecedent of those championing the course and the leadership of the movement, we realise that they had radiated failure at one point of the other when they hold the position of leadership, they are self-seeking rather than to pursue the betterment of the public.
“The most worrisome to us (APM) is the secretary of the self-seeking coalition, Rauf Aregbesola who had lived best part of his life in government and tax payer money was used to sort his personal life bills, he served as commissioner, governor(8years) and Minister (4years) and the most annoying thing is that he served under All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Now that he was not given an appointment under that same party he had served in a different capacity, Aregbesola he now wants to use the public to fight the same party that had extolled him. It is selfish.
“Aregbesola who is now canvassing for better governance nurtured Osun State into a failed state when he served as governor for 8years. He owed civil servants 18months’ salary, incurred over N500billion debt on the state, collected a bailout from the Buhari-led administration to pay workers, yet he never paid. He made the APC unelectable for civil servants.
He closes his eyes to the plights of residents and civil servants, his education policy robbed the state of billions of Naira from stakeholders, and he used over N16bn to build 11 mega schools which the present administration of Adeleke said it is now near collapse.
“He refused to remit the contributory pension of workers to the scheme, yet the money deducted from their salary was not paid into their pension accounts.
“It is absurd for someone who failed to deliver good governance as a governor to now start a crusade against his primary home. On this note, we are rejecting coalition in Osun State and we also urge Nigeria not to join the crusade of failed politicians but join Allied Peoples Movement (APM) for the betterment of our state and country,” APM said.