The All Progressives Congress(APC) presidential hopeful, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said he was not invited to the peace meeting between the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday.
Recall that the monarchs met with the minister at the private residence of Alaafin in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
This is in a bid to reconcile Tinubu and Aregbesola over their political disagreement.
In the build-up to the APC governorship primary election in Osun State, Aregbesola had attacked Tinubu verbally.
Reacting to the meeting, Media Adviser to Tinubu, Tune Rahman told The PUNCH in an interview that his boss was unopposed to the reconciliatory effort.
He said: “Yes, I saw the pictures of the meeting on social media as you did too. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was not invited to the meeting.
“I can tell you that clearly. I believe the two traditional rulers intend to reach out to him later. But let me say this clearly, Asiwaju Tinubu has tremendous respect for the traditional institution and particularly for the two eminent royal fathers.
“You would recall that only recently during his consultations and engagements with traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Oyo and Osun States on his presidential aspiration, Asiwaju visited and interfaced with HRM Iku Baba Yeye Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and HRM Onirisa, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in their respective domains.
“If you ask me what Asiwaju’s attitude will be to the reconciliation move, of course, he will welcome and support it. Don’t forget that Asiwaju and the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, are from the same political family. Asiwaju appointed him Commissioner for Works for eight years during his time as Lagos Governor.
“He also later drafted him into the Osun governorship race and supported him to be governor in Osun for eight years. I think Asiwaju will factor all of that and where both of them are coming from into the reconciliation efforts. He will not oppose the idea.”
