By Merit Ibe
Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, did not at any occasion insult the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Bola Tinubu, contrary to widespread reports, aide to the minister, Oladipupo Okeyomi and a long-time political supporter, Olusola Okiki, told newsmen in Lagos, yesterday.
The duo, in separate interviews, said the immediate past governor of Osun State only expressed displeasure with the negative attitude of the incumbent leadership in the state headed by Governor Gboyega Oyetola and he told his people so but never denigrated Tinubu.
Okeyomi, who is also known as Carry Go and has worked closely with the minister through Lagos and Osun politics, said Aregbesola, by nature, is open-minded and cannot conceive his feelings whenever unduly hurt and that once the infraction is corrected, he forgets about it and moves on.
“The Aregbesola that I know will never ever say any negative word against Tinubu. Tinubu is our leader in the party and he is like a father-figure to Aregbesola and he has utmost respects for him,” he said.
He said tale-bearers merely went to town to concoct stories, forming what Aregbesola never said about Tinubu, apparently to feast on what they considered as internal crisis in the APC.
He described the disagreement between Aregbesola and the Osun governor as mere internal party affairs which would be resolved.
Okeyomi also described as fictitious, speculations that Aregbesola is working with Peoples Democratic Party to defeat the APC candidate in the coming governorship election.
“That Aregbesola supported another candidate during the primary doesn’t indicate he will work for opposition if his candidate does not sail through. Aregbesola is a democrat to the core and a committed progressive for that matter,” he said.
He noted that even if there was any disagreement between Tinubu and Aregbesola, nay-sayers would not be there when the two politicians would resolve it.
He said the impression that the two were fighting was being plotted and orchestrated by those working against the presidential ambition of Tinubu.