Aregbesola: No Party Has Money to Buy ADC’s Support Base in Osun

Former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has dismissed reports of an alliance between the African Democratic Congress and any other political party ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Aregbesola, the ADC National Secretary, spoke on Saturday at a solidarity rally organised by the party in Ejigbo, Osun State.

In a video of the rally that circulated on Monday, the former Minister of Interior also dismissed reports that the ADC governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, would step down for another candidate.

Speculation had circulated on social media that Aregbesola and the ADC were negotiating with the Accord Party to support the re-election bid of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The speculation intensified after photographs of Adeleke and Aregbesola surfaced on social media.

However, Aregbesola denied the reports, saying no political party had the financial capacity to buy the ADC’s support base in the state.

“They said we are holding meeting with some people… We are not in alliance with any political party,” he said.

“No political party can shoulder our responsibility. We are more in population than any other political party in Nigeria.”

Aregbesola said the ADC had previously maintained relationships with prominent political figures but walked away when those relationships and engagements were no longer productive.

“Assuming we were looking for money, we would not part ways with them. Nobody has the money to buy us. This election we would contest and win,” he said.

The ADC National Secretary cited his political career, including his eight years as a commissioner in Lagos State, eight years as governor of Osun State and his tenure as Minister of Interior, as evidence that he was not motivated by money.

He said he would not pursue political alliances for financial gain, stressing that the ADC was not poor but would not beg for money.

“We are not poor but we don’t beg. We are not wealthy but we don’t beg. We at this stage will not be chasing after money,” Aregbesola said.

He said the ADC’s political mission remained focused on serving the people and maintaining its principles.

“How God will make us the saviour of the masses is our mission on earth,” he said.

“Whoever you see with us is an honest person. We are here to serve society. That was the covenant between us and God when we were coming.”

The development comes amid broader political realignment among prominent figures in Osun ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

Former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore on Sunday declared their support for APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji.

Oyinlola, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, announced the endorsement alongside Omisore, another prominent Osun politician.

Oyinlola said the state required a different direction and that the decision to support Oyebamiji was based on that conviction.

The APC candidate described the endorsement as evidence of a shared belief that Osun needs a “new direction” based on justice, fairness, inclusion and development.