Rauf Aregbesola, a former interior minister and interim national secretary of the party, returned to Lagos on Friday with an important message for his party’s followers following the African Democratic Congress’s formal inauguration in Abuja.
Aregbesola warned ADC members not to criticise or attack supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress as the newly formed coalition seeks to unseat the Tinubu administration, during which he served as Lagos State’s commissioner for works and infrastructure.
In a statement posted on Friday via his social media accounts, the former minister thanked those who came to greet him at the Lagos airport.
He asked them not to fight, attack, or insult anyone, emphasising that the task ahead of them is huge.
He stated that when supporters of the ruling party attack them, they should respond with facts regarding the situation of the country.
The statement read, “I sincerely thank our supporters and members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who came out to receive me on my arrival in Lagos. The task before us is immense, and I reminded everyone that we do not need to fight, insult, or attack anyone.
“When others resort to abuse or name-calling, we must rise above it. Instead, ask them one simple question: Are Nigerians better off today than they were before? Challenge them with facts on food inflation, the economy, the rising cost of living, and the deepening poverty affecting millions.
“Let our debates remain focused on the issues that matter. Articulate our position clearly and confidently. Explain why our new political home, the ADC, represents a credible and necessary alternative for Nigeria’s progress and long-term sustainability.”
The previous governor of Osun State was a close associate of Tinubu. Their political relationship began in 1999, when Tinubu was governor of Lagos.
They came apart in 2022, when Tinubu’s nephew, Gboyega Oyetola, who replaced Aregbesola, ran for a second term in Osun State on the APC’s platform.
However, Aregbesola’s political party, ‘Omoluabi’, did not endorse Oyetola’s candidature. The ensuing confrontation pushed Aregbesola’s organisation to back Peoples Democratic Party candidate Ademola Adeleke.
As a result, Oyetola lost his re-election campaign to Adeleke.
