TheCable

A political pressure group has asked Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, and Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to settle their feud.

The group — League of South-west Civil Society and Community-based Organisations — said the rift between the duo was fuelled by external parties.

On Monday, TheCable reported that both politicians have agreed to sheathe their swords and work together ahead of the Osun state governorship election and the 2023 presidential poll.

Speaking on the development, Taiwo Adeleye, convener of the pressure group, said the south-west must avoid a repeat of the 1962 western region crisis.

He described Aregbesola as a “source of pride” to Tinubu, adding that they have both enjoyed a cordial political relationship.

Adeleye said the group has decided to set a committee that will “explore the potentials of reconciling” the duo.

“We have called this important meeting for many good reasons. We are all conscious of the history of politics in the south-west from time immemorial,” he said at a briefing in Lagos on Tuesday.

“In the south-west, post-colonial history teaches us that the region had its own dose of intra-party wrangling with far-reaching consequences on Yoruba people and their ancestral territories.

“The western regional crisis which dovetailed into the 1964 general election could have been avoided. It started as ideological differences between the then premier of the western region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and his deputy, Chief Ladoke Akintola.

“Eventually, this crisis snowballed into a major conflict within the Action Group (AG), leading to the emergence of a faction of Chief Akintola presented as an alternative political front which clashed with the established dominion of the Action Group.”

Adeleye said the people of south-west do not want a repeat of “this ugly history”.

“Our position is that the attacks on Aregbesola are unnecessary and must stop. We also realise the need for reconciliation between the key actors because continued face-off is not in the interest of either of the two,” he said.

“We do not belong to the school that thinks the crisis must linger. It is an ill wind that blows no one any good. It is a dispute that can set the entire south-west on the path to internal combustion.

“We recognise the strength, the potentials, the opportunities and of course the weaknesses of both actors. We strongly believe that as humans, none of them is perfect. The very reason they must close ranks in the interests of all.”