Politics
Who Bewitched Aregbesola? The Falling Out of a Trusted Ally and the Tragedy of Political Betrayal
Editor’s note: In this piece, Dr. ’Toks Oguntuga, political analyst and communication expert, recounts how Rauf Aregbesola rose through Tinubu’s support only to break away in dramatic fashion. His analysis shows a painful story of ambition, loyalty, and betrayal in Nigerian politics.
A peasant made prince
Once upon a not-so-distant time, Rauf Aregbesola was a struggling technician, a humble man who mended refrigerators and air conditioners in Lagos, eking out a living in the shadows of obscurity.
By the invisible hands of fate, or more accurately, by the benevolent reach of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rauf was lifted from obscurity into relevance.…Click link for details
In 1999, Tinubu, then Governor of Lagos State, appointed him Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, a position he held for an unprecedented eight years. It was not merely an appointment; it was an elevation. A political anointing
From there, Tinubu did not stop. He cleared the path for Aregbesola to contest the Osun State governorship, a battle Tinubu financed, fought, and won for him. Again, eight years of uninterrupted power. And when the gubernatorial mantle passed, Tinubu’s political structure stood behind his appointment as a federal minister under President Muhammadu Buhari.
That’s 24 years of continuous political relevance, a legacy only possible through the unwavering trust, investment, and mentorship of one man: Tinubu.
The godfather and the knife
Yet, in a stunning twist of Shakespearian betrayal, the very man who was once so trusted that Tinubu could allegedly say: “If you see me asleep and you see Rauf coming to me with a knife in his hands, don’t stop him or wake me.” — Prof. Adeyeye (former Senator)
…is the same man who, in the heat of political ambition and wounded pride, turned the proverbial knife.
When Tinubu supported Gboyega Oyetola, his cousin, as Aregbesola’s successor in Osun, a storm of resentment brewed in Aregbesola’s heart. Rather than submit to the democratic will of his political structure or show the humility of a statesman, he openly turned against his benefactor. He mocked, derided, and accused Tinubu of “playing God.”
This is not dissent. This is desecration.
This was not ideological divergence.
This was naked treachery. Aregbesola did not merely disagree; he defected. He abandoned the party and camp that fed, nurtured, and made him. He joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move calculated to weaken his former party and sabotage the political destiny of his long-time benefactor.
The collapse of moral credibility
To those who defend Aregbesola, I ask: What moral standing can a man claim who turns his back on the very ladder that lifted him?
Leadership demands character. Integrity. Gratitude. Even in disagreement, there is a path of honour. That path does not include public calumny or political sabotage.
Aregbesola had the political right to be disappointed, but he had no moral right to weaponize that disappointment into betrayal.
The breakdown of logic
If Tinubu is indeed the godfather, the mastermind, and the architect of Aregbesola’s political life, as every historical fact supports, what logic compels one to bite the very hand that built him?
How can one justify burning the bridge after safely crossing the river? Political succession is never a birthright. It is a negotiation. A consensus. A privilege, not an entitlement. That Aregbesola would turn against his political home simply because he did not get to anoint his own successor is not only immature, it is antithetical to democratic politics.
The tragedy of it all
This is more than a political squabble. It is a tragic story of ingratitude. A man loved, trusted, and empowered, turning into a rebel with no just cause. The pain is not just Tinubu’s; it is every mentor’s nightmare. It is every father’s heartbreak. It is every organization’s risk when loyalty is measured only by convenience.
We recall the years of loyalty, the photographs of unity, the speeches of mutual admiration, and now contrast them with a bitter, divided legacy. The tragedy is not that they disagreed. It is that Rauf forgot.
So, who Bewitched Aregbesola?
Was it ambition? Was it pride? Was it an illusion of independence? Or was it the age-old disease of power making men forget their origins?
Only Rauf can truly answer that. But we, as Nigerians, as observers, as professionals, and as future leaders, must take a clear lesson:
Loyalty must never be seasonal. Gratitude must never be optional. And betrayal must never be normalized.
In the corridors of politics, as in life, there will always be disagreements. But there must also be decorum, fidelity, and above all, gratitude.
The Rauf Aregbesola saga is not just a political fallout; it is a cautionary tale.
Let no man rise so high that he forgets the hand that held him up. For in the end, history remembers not only those who climbed but those who kicked away the ladder after reaching the top.
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” — Cicero
And ingratitude? It is the silent dagger in the back of trust Dr. ‘Toks Oguntuga is a seasoned academic researcher, strategic communication expert, political analyst, and speechwriter with a PhD in Presidential Crisis Rhetoric and over a decade of experience in high-stakes political and communication environments.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Legit.ng/dailyvoice.ng
-Source: Legit
The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) has revealed that no fewer than four sitting governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) are in advanced talks to join its fold before the end of 2025.
APC’s National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, disclosed this in an interview with Punch.
He listed the governors of Plateau, Taraba, Rivers, and Abia (LP) as those being courted by the party, stressing that their defection was “highly possible” in the coming weeks.
Arodiogbu said, “It is a possibility that the Plateau governor will join us, likewise his Taraba counterpart. We are also looking forward to receiving Rivers governor, (Siminalayi) Fubara, and Governor (Alex) Otti of Abia State in our midst.
“These are all high possibilities. We expect that to happen in the coming weeks before our congresses. Most of these defections are expected to happen before the end of this year. Once they happen, it will further confirm that the APC remains the dominant and most organized political platform in Nigeria.”
The APC chieftain explained that the party’s open-door policy and reform agenda have made it increasingly attractive to opposition figures.
He said, “The truth is that the APC has become a home for all progressives. We are not just expanding in numbers but in quality leadership. Governors and other political leaders are beginning to see that this is the platform that offers stability and direction for Nigeria’s democracy.”
Arodiogbu added that the party leadership under the national chairman had created an inclusive environment for dialogue and participation.
“The national chairman has made it clear that the APC is not closing its doors to anyone. We are reaching out to people of goodwill who believe in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he stated.
The APC vice chairman maintained that the anticipated defections would further strengthen the ruling party ahead of its 2025 congresses and the 2027 general elections.
A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has declared that the party has not barred anyone from contesting its national chairmanship position in its November 2025 elective convention despite the push for a consensus candidate.
Speaking against the backdrop of the interest in the position by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, George declared that Lamido has every right to contest the PDP national chairmanship position.
He argued that despite the push for a consensus candidate by the party, every aspirant is free to pick the form and contest any position of interest.
George said the consensus option is not binding on any aspirant, and delegates would vote during the convention.
“This has been part of the practice in the PDP. The fact that some leaders converge to support one person as a consensus candidate doesn’t mean others cannot compete.
“You want to make the process seamless and non-combative. We’ve done this before, but the party has never told anyone they cannot contest. Governor Sule Lamido has the right to compete.
“He can get the form, fill it, and appear on the convention day. We will vote. That is the practice in our party,” George stated during Tuesday’s edition on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Naija News recalls that Lamido had declared interest in the PDP National Chairman position but lamented that he was denied the expression of interest and nomination forms when he visited the secretariat on Monday to purchase them.
He threatened to go to court if the PDP denies him the opportunity to contest in the forthcoming party convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Reacting to his threat, George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), submitted that while Lamido has every right to contest, heading to court without exhausting all internal party mechanisms for resolving such internal disputes may attract punishment.
“This party is not owned by any individual. Before taking the party to court, you must exhaust the internal dynamics of the party. If you fail to do that, you can be punished,” he said.
George stressed again that Lamido is free to contest but warned against going to court, assuring that the convention would be conducted in a free and fair atmosphere.
“So, he is exercising his rights. But if he goes to court for this, he can be punished. Let him go, nobody will deny him any form, and he can compete. The final decision will be by delegates attending the convention, and it will be done openly,” George stated.
Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Bashir Gegu, has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) might lose Kogi State in the 2027 general elections if President Bola Tinubu sidelines former Governor Yahaya Bello.
Gegu gave the warning at a political gathering at a Kogi Local Council.
He argued that Bello remains the architect of the state’s current political structure and a decisive factor in the ruling party’s continued dominance.
The speech, which he shared on his Facebook page, quoted the commissioner as saying, “If former Governor Yahaya Bello is not carried along, APC cannot win Kogi State. That is the plain truth.”
He dismissed social media’s criticism of a recent rally in Lokoja, insisting it was not about power play, but an expression of gratitude to Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for their leadership.
Gegu added, “The rally was a show of appreciation, not a protest. But let no one make the mistake, without Yahaya Bello, there’s no APC victory in Kogi.”
The commissioner credited Bello for laying the groundwork for political stability and federal visibility in the state, saying his influence still cuts across all districts.
FCT Minister Wike Under Fire For Taking Sons To Dubai As Official Delegates
NDLEA Arrests Over 45,000 Suspects, Seizes 8.5 Million Kilograms Of Drugs – Marwa
Full List: Tinubu Removes Maryam Sanda, 38 Kidnappers, Drug Dealers, Others From Pardon List
-
News2 days agoTERRORISM: Drama as Judge Begs Nnamdi Kanu in ‘God’s Name’, Reason Emerges
-
Politics2 days agoNew INEC Chairman Amupitan, Gives Update On Where Election Result Will Be Decided
-
News2 days agoBREAKING: Senator Natasha Must Face Criminal Charges – FG
-
News2 days agoTinubu vs Sowore: Court Announces Fresh Development
-
News19 hours agoBastard In Aso Rock’ – DSS Arrest Man Pushing For Coup On Social Media
-
News1 day agoBREAKING: US Bans Wole Soyinka, Revokes Visa
-
Politics2 days agoTinubu Will Lose 2027 Election If… Kogi Commissioner Warns APC
-
News2 days agoSO SAD: 12 Killed As Kano Line Bus Collides With Tanker In Wudil