Ex-governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has urged the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to suspend his plan from visiting the State.
He described the plan as an act to make the state unruly for the current governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
Oyinlola said this in a statement on Wednesday and called for calm as tension rises following Aregbesola’s plan to hold a political programme parallel and the Oyetola’s second-anniversary celebrations on Friday, November 27, 2020.
He advised Aregbesola to pick another date for his coming to the state to engage with the people on the #EndSARS crisis as ordered by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
Oyinlola recalled that during his tenure as governor, his predecessor in office, Chief Bisi Akande never gave him a problem, despite their political differences.
He added that when Aregbesola took over from him, he did not do anything to undermine his authority as governor.
The statement read in part, “It is necessary that I put my own experience on record. I took over from Chief Bisi Akande in May 2003 and, I can say that throughout my almost eight years in government, and despite our political differences, Akande never gave me any problem.
“It is common knowledge that Mr Aregbesola took over from me, and, despite the circumstances of his coming to that office, I did not do anything to undermine his authority throughout his eight years in government. That is the spirit with which I appeal that the Interior Minister (Aregbesola) avoids doing anything that will suggest a plan to make the state ungovernable for Mr Oyetola.
“As a former governor of that state, I plead that we give peace a chance. The state has witnessed enough unnecessary crises in recent weeks coupled with the Coronavirus pandemic which has upended people’s economy and general wellbeing. Our people are suffering; they deserve a respite from all forms of crises as they struggle to make ends meet.
“All of us former governors, as leaders of our people, we all have a stake in making Osun State to work for the good of our people who have had to deal with one hardship or the other. We will be seen as doing that when we avoid making the job of the incumbent governor difficult for him. May God help our state and its people in this difficult time.”