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
Imo Governor, Uzodimma Survives ‘Coup’ As Tinubu Wades Into APC Governors Forum Feud
Uzodimma survives ‘coup’ as Tinubu wades into APC Governors Forum feud
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has survived the sudden move to remove him as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), the umbrella body of state governors who belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The “coup” was executed barely hours after Uzodimma spoke on behalf of APC governors during the submission of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms in Abuja yesterday evening, Thursday, Thursday, May 7, 2026.
Reports say that the decision was reached during an extraordinary meeting of about 20 APC governors held Thursday night at the Ogun State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.
Governors from several states, including Ogun, Bayelsa, and Enugu, were reportedly in attendance at the high-level meeting. Six of the governors who attended the meeting reportedly joined by Zoom.
Uzodimma is said to have been removed due to a variety of alleged “sins”, among them high-handedness, resulting in the loss of confidence in his leadership, with the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, tipped as his replacement.
However, according to an inside source, the Imo Governor activated the survival mode after his colleagues immediately informed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of their decision.
The President was said to have made a case for Uzodimma, a development which made the Director-General of Progressive Governors’ Forum, Folorunso Aluko, to quickly issue a statement dismissing the purported removal of the PGF Chairman, describing it as false and misleading.
He insisted in a statement that Governor Uzodinma remained the chairman of the forum.
According to Aluko, “No meeting of the forum was held at which any such decision was taken. The PGF Secretariat has no record of, and is not aware of any resolution removing Senator Hope Uzodinma.
“The forum remains United, focused, and committed of the party’s faithful and the media are therefore advised to disregard the said report in its entirety.”
Governor Uzodinma was yet to react to the reports as at the time of filing this report.
Tension gripped proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday as video recordings of police interviews with defendants accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration were played in open court.
The recordings, tendered by the prosecution, featured statements from three of the six defendants standing trial over the alleged conspiracy.
Counsel to the defendants objected to the admissibility and public viewing of the recordings, arguing that the statements were not voluntarily made and had not yet been formally admitted as evidence.
However, the trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, overruled the objections and ordered that the recordings be played, while noting that a trial-within-trial would later determine the voluntariness of the statements.
In the footage, two of the accused persons, Erasmus Victor, a retired naval captain, and Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector attached to the State House, acknowledged awareness of discussions relating to the alleged plan, while a third defendant, retired Major-General Mohammed Gana, denied any knowledge of a coup attempt.
Gana insisted he had lived a quiet life since retiring from the Nigerian Army in 2010, saying: “If I knew about any coup plan, I would have reported it,”
He admitted knowing the alleged mastermind but maintained that his involvement was limited to forwarding messages and materials he did not originate.
Gana also acknowledged that his name surfaced during investigations in connection with a N2 million transfer but denied any operational role, including claims of surveillance at the Presidential Villa.
Victor, on his part, admitted awareness of conversations suggesting a plan to topple the government but said he discouraged the idea. He told investigators: “Out of anger, he said he wants to overthrow the system. I told him to forget about it and consider retirement,”
He also admitted being approached for financial support and logistical assistance but claimed he refused to participate, though he continued communicating with the suspect using encrypted messaging platforms.
“I feel so bad that I find myself in this situation,” Victor said, appealing for leniency. Inspector admits reconnaissance and payments.
Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim admitted receiving between N1.4 million and N1.5 million and conducting reconnaissance around the Presidential Villa, including Aguda House.
He told investigators that coded language such as “fertiliser” and “farming” was used to disguise discussions about funding and operational planning.
However, he claimed he did not take the alleged plan seriously, stating: “I played along because I knew it would be impossible for them to access the State House,”
Trial continues amid national security concerns The prosecution told the court that the interviews were conducted in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, with defendants informed that the sessions were being recorded and that they had the right to remain silent.
The case, involving six defendants charged over an alleged plot to overthrow the government, was adjourned until Tuesday for continuation of hearing. The Federal Government is prosecuting the suspects in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, with other defendants including Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
About 17 African Democratic Congress, ADC, lawmakers in the House of Representatives have defected to the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC.
This was disclosed by Speaker Abass Tajudeen on the floor of the House on Tuesday.
Tajudeen also announced the defection of Leke Abejide from the ADC to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Lawmakers who defected to the NDC include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene and Abdulhakeem Ado.
This comes barely a day after former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso defected from the ADC to the NDC.
Obi and Kwankwaso have pledged to continue their pursuit for a better Nigeria in the NDC.
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