2023: As Aregbesola Falls-Out With Tinubu, Omisore Becomes The “New Bride”

On Wednesday, March 16, 2020, Bola Tinubu, presidential aspirant and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), met with the party’s Senate Caucus at the National Assembly.

The ex-governor of Lagos State visited the lawmakers to seek their support, counsel and partnership for his 2023 presidential bid which he described as a “lifetime ambition.”

He had earlier met with President Muhammadu Buhari in January and informed him of his ambition to run for the office in next year’s election. Speaking at the meeting with the lawmakers, Tinubu said he cannot run the race by himself hence, his decision to seek the backing of the National Assembly – which he said will help him successfully actualise his ambition.

A visit with a new bride?

Tinubu didn’t meet the lawmakers alone. He went with some former senators in his entourage including Adedayo Adeyeye (Ekiti), Abu Ibrahim (Katsina) and Iyiola Omisore (Osun). While other senators in the entourage did not get much talking, having Omisore in the league of Tinubu’s supporters reminds Nigerians that politics is simply a game of interest.

“Tinubu will regret any attempt he makes to cause violence in Osun state before, during and after the election. Tinubu should just continue his fake life in Lagos and leave us alone in Osun in the interest of peace.”

The above quote was made by Omisore in 2014 ahead of the state governorship election. It was one of the many instances where the Ife-born politician had openly criticised Tinubu.

Interestingly, the table turned in 2018 when Omisore, a former deputy governor of the Osun state, agreed to help the ruling party win a close election that brought in Tinubu’s cousin, Governor Gboyega Oyetola.

How Aregbesola fell out of Tinubu’s dynasty

The rift arose from claims by Aregbesola’s loyalists that Oyetola had excluded them from his government and had instead accommodated Omisore and his supporters.

Oyetola appointed the running mate of Omisore in the election, Lawal Olayemi, as Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Special Needs. Omisore has since become a key adviser to Oyetola.

Aregbesola swallowed his cough and kept mum about his fight with Oyetola because of the duo’s connection to Tinubu. Hence, they avoided washing their dirty linen in public.

That remained the case until Omisore officially defected to APC in February 2021. His supporters escorted him to the registration point at his unit in Moore, Ile-Ife with chants of “Oyetola for second term” and were welcomed into the party by the deputy governor, Benedict Alabi.

Expectedly, Aregbesola was not so welcoming of Omisore to the APC and had to speak in parables a week later, insinuating the party had admitted ‘killers and miscreants’ into its fold. This comment was a reference to Omisore’s alleged role in Bola Ige’s assassination, despite the courts acquitting him of the charge.

The Outburst

After years in silence, Aregbesola later spoke out about his feud with Oyetola. He openly criticised the governor and also campaigned for Moshood Adeoti as his preferred candidate for the forthcoming election in Osun.

Aside from this, Aregbesola launched a scathing attack on Tinubu, saying the same treatment the APC leader and his group meted out to former Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, will be given to Oyetola because “he had derailed from the master plan too.”

“That was how it was in Lagos at the time; a governor derailed and the party members unseated him using the ballot boxes. As it was in Lagos yesterday, so shall it be in Osun today. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander,” he said.

“We came back home to reposition our party to where it was meant to be because we followed the lead of our leader that we thought was a noble and reliable fellow. We followed him dutifully with all sense of loyalty,” he continued.

Though Tinubu did not respond, many of his supporters rebelled against Aregbesola’s attack on the national leader of the party. Alimosho APC party members performed a mock-up last burial rites, complete with coffin bonfires and burial polos, that signal the end of Aregbesola’s political reign in Alimosho.

Omisore benefiting from feud

Omisore appears to be reaping political capital from the feud as sources told POLITICS NIGERIA that Oyetola sees him as a strategic ally in Osun East senatorial district to defeat Aregbesola who also comes from the area.

Sources said Omisore wants to return to the senate in 2023 and believes that his support for Tinubu will improve his chances. While he has not denied this, there are reports that he has shown interest to contest for the position of national secretary of the APC.

Confirming the development, Osun commissioner for Intergovernmental Relations, Taiwo Akeju, said Governor Oyetola and other stakeholders of the ruling party in Osun State are in support of Omisore’s ambition.