Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State led by Rasaq Salinsile has lauded the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party for deeming it fit to include the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in the Presidential Campaign Council, despite obvious opposition from some quarters.
The Salinsile-led APC at its stakeholders’ meeting held in Osogbo yesterday, noted that it is a big relief that the party’s national leadership has eventually taken the right decision on the matter of mutual inclusion of relevant individuals and groups to the party operations.
Speaking at the meeting, Salinsile said: “Rather than relying on some people’s whims and caprices which are often products of their emotions and or selfish interests, the Senator Abdullahi Adamu led National Executive Council has confirmed that it is capable of taking dispassionate decisions in the best interests of APC.”
He noted that it would have been a minus to the party not to include a man of Aregbesola’s status in the campaign council, considering his antecedents as a grassroots politician with admirers and followers in many states.
Salinsile stated further: “It is clear that the Senator Abdullahi Adamu NEC must have taken proper notice of the fact that Aregbesola provided adequate leadership and courage in the return of progressives politicians to government in a gruesome struggle between 2003 and 2010, after showing tremendous classical support for continuous rulership of the progressives politicians in Lagos.
“It is doubtless that the National APC Exco was convinced that Aregbesola, having been a successful commissioner in Lagos, successful two terms governor in Osun State and his impactful current contributions to the federal cabinet should not be ignored for whatever selfish reasons been bandied by some people.”
He stated: “We note that the political novice and puppets who masquerade as leaders in Osun State seemed to be poised for the total and irredeemable collapse of our party, as they exhibit unperturbed attitudes even when they have taken the party to dangerous precipice with the last election.
“For instance, the so called Osun State APC leadership has furthered the discontent and division within their Ilerioluwa group with the ‘you can go to hell’ manner they handled the primary election for local governments polls held few weeks back.”
