TheCable

Rauf Aregbesola, immediate past minister of interior, says he does not hold any grudge against anyone in Osun state.

Aregbesola spoke on Wednesday at the palace of Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye II, Ataoja of Osogbo.

The event was to celebrate his return to the state after spending four years as a minister in the cabinet of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In the build-up to the 2023 elections, Aregbesola and Adegboyega Oyetola, the immediate past governor of Osun, fell out.

In July 2022, the former minister described the primary election that gave Oyetola the guber ticket as a “sham”. Moshood Adeoti, his choice of candidate, lost to Oyetola.

Speaking at the palace, Aregbesola asked the monarch to plead with all the people he might have had issues with in the past.

“I hold no grudge against anyone in Osogbo or Osun. My hands are wide open to work and receive anyone,” the former minister said.

“Anyone who has issues with me has their reasons, but I hold no grudge against anyone.

“It is never my desire to leave any of them, but now that they have gone the way they did, I beseech you, our royal father, to plead with them. I would always wish them well and always desire to work with them.

“I have come here today to beg for forgiveness from anybody who is offended towards me.

“The reason why people are applauding me over my successes in Osun today was because of the great work I did when I was in government and those who turned themselves into enemies today, we worked together in government.

“Anywhere I am, please be rest assured that Osogbo and Osun’s interests are covered.

“I was born in Ikare Akoko. It is surprising that a boy born in Ikare Akoko became a commissioner in Lagos and governor in Osun. That is the work of God. He used Asiwaju to lead me to the path of success.

“I thank God who brought me to Lagos through the assistance of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. He is the architect of my success. I spent eight years as commissioner in Lagos.

“In 2004, we had a meeting in Badagry where we talked about how we will take over our states from the opposition party.

“Asiwaju Tinubu and other Yoruba elders directed me to come and take over my fatherland — Osun state. That it was my next place of assignment.”