Those envisaging rancour between Oyetola and me are political jobbers — APC National Secretary, Bashiru

The National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Bashiru, has described as baseless the insinuated rancour between him and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Bashiru noted that the existing bond between the duo is more than ties of children of same mother, saying the insinuations of the non-existent rift can only be concocted by political jobbers and ‘rudderless propaganda machineries of Adeleke’s government’ in the state.

This is just as the former Senate Spokesman reiterated the commitment of his party to wrestle power from the ruling People Democratic Party, PDP, in the state come 2026.

The APC National Scribe made the statements at a media parley held with members of the press in Osogbo after the Eid-El-Fitr celebration.

Bashiru, who dispelled contents of some of the stories and insinuations peddling and making the round on the alleged fracas between him and the erstwhile Governor, said on no account that he had any faceoff with the ex-governor as the two of them have been relating well, good and fine over the years.

The APC National Secretary further cleared the air that he has no problem with anyone saying he was not surprised that the ruling party in the state and its affiliates were jittery of his party’s formidability and avowed determination to kick them out of power soon.

“There is no rift between the former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and me. Some of the stories you were seeing were being concocted by the rudderless propaganda machinery of Adeleke’s government. They are jobless. The stories were not genuine.

“When you talk of stories, you must talk of stories that have genuine attributions and that are verifiable. I am the National Secretary of the party. Former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, so, we have serious business to do than to reduce ourselves to the level of inanities being circulated by political miscreants in the state.

“Secondly, what is the issue they are talking about? They are talking about the 2026 gubernatorial election. Has the form of Expression of Interest come out? You are already talking of the election of 2026 in 2023/2024. I even read one allegedly quoting me to have said I will not step down for anybody. Where did I say so? They are hallucinating. Some of us are serious minded people and we don’t reduce ourselves to this inanity.

“I don’t have problems with the former Governor. The truth is this: our party is a party of leadership. As of today, there are two former Governors in our party: Baba Adebisi Akande and Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola. Both of them are my leaders. So, you can not say I am fighting my leaders. Anybody that says so doesn’t know what he or she is saying. I know it can come from the PDP. It can either come from the PDP or some affiliates of the PDP that are writing their own stories. I don’t have any problem with anybody.

“Even at a time they alleged that Senator Omisore was teaming up: an unfounded claim. For your information, the Director of Administration, Prof. Alaba Adediwura that is heading the administration of the party was put in place by Senator Omisore before I was appointed and assumed office. I didn’t sack him. He is still the head of the administration. So, if I have problems with Senator Omisore, will I have maintained the previous arrangement?

“As you can see, some of those sitting here with me decamped from Social Democratic Party, SDP to APC with Senator Omisore, and they are here with me on the same table yet some people in their beer parlour and pepper-soup joints will be saying Bashiru has problem with Oyetola. Omisore is plotting on how to remove him. For me, it is idle work because they are not serious about the government and governance. They are busy destroying road all over the place without meaningful projects for implementation.

“Assuming former Governor Oyetola was around yesterday, I would have visited his house to eat. If he was around today, I would have gone there to eat. Our houses are not far from each other in Abuja, so we spoke for minutes yesterday. For us, we don’t have any problem.

“The President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his own wisdom, gave us our responsibility. He decided to appoint the former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola a Minister – Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. One of the most strategic ministries of the federal government. And on his own volition too, the President decided with the national leadership of the party to make me the National Secretary of the party. So, we are busy on how to contribute our quota to the growth and development of our country. We don’t have time for all that.

“The truth is this: we are repositioning our party in Osun and by the grace of God, we are going to kick-out the nitwit in the country home.

“As journalists, how many Commissioners have you been able to interview as to what they are doing in their ministries since Senator Ademola Adeleke became Governor? Are they operating from the ministries of government? Are they operating from departments of government etc? That is what governance is all about. I have been a two term commissioner in this state and I know that we used to have quarterly inter-ministerial press briefings that we used to invite journalists there.

“So, for the past 15 months of their government: have they invited you for any inter-ministerial press briefing even from the ministry of information? The answer is NO. Today, Osun state is on autopilot. There is heterogeneity of power in Osun state. Everybody does his or her own. The sister of the governor does her own thing as the de facto governor. The governor’s elder brother does his own and the figurehead governor, Ademola Adeleke, does his too. Like I read in the paper that one person who is engaging in a funny business centre – Cyber Cafe was given a road contract. So, the question to ask yourself is who is the Governor of Osun State? Where does the power rotate from in Osun?. By Section 5 of the Constitution, he is supposed to be the Governor but from what we heard the reverse is the case in Osun,” Bashiru added.