Ololade Adeyanju/
As the gubernatorial primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) takes centrestage in Osun State today, a former governor of the state and minister of interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has advised his supporters to allow women to lead the way in order to thwart any plans by their opponents to use violence to disrupt the exercise.
Aregbesola gave the advice in a statement he shared on his verified Twitter handle this morning.
Aregbesola premised his argument for women to take the lead on the notion that they are by convention protected from “violent attacks”.
He said, “I am also appealing to our members to push out the women and let them lead the process by coming out decently and peacefully. This is to demonstrate the customary dignity of women as matriarchs, mothers, wives and daughters, which confers on them the special protection status from violent attacks from thugs and hoodlums.”
Aregbesola, Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, have been embroiled in a battle over who would emerge as the party’s candidate in the governorship election in the state.
Read full statement below:
My good people of Osun,
Good day to you all.
Another electoral cycle has rolled by and we are now in that season again in Osun. We should thank God for the democratic right to participate in the electoral process of electing our leaders.
As you all know, this is a two staged process. The first is intra-party, meaning that our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), will democratically nominate its candidate. The second stage, inter-party, will take place in a state-wide election sometime in July, God willing.
For this first stage, I am appealing to all our party members to participate but peacefully in the primary election taking place today. They should avoid any form of violence, brigandage and disorderliness.
Our party members, especially our supporters, should be resolute to cast their vote, not to be intimidated and scared away. But they should portray themselves and the party in the best form in comportment, organisation and promotion of societal peace and tranquillity.
You should know that we are first a community of humans before we are a political community. Our peaceful coexistence therefore supersedes every other activity.
The Nigerian and our party’s constitutions make provision for the expression of our preference and choice of leader every four years. This is the heart of the democratic process. It is an inalienable right we should take as sacred and exercise with every sense of responsibility.
I am also appealing to our members to push out the women and let them lead the process by coming out decently and peacefully. This is to demonstrate the customary dignity of women as matriarchs, mothers, wives and daughters, which confers on them the special protection status from violent attacks from thugs and hoodlums.
Our overall objective is to have a transparent, free, fair and peaceful election.
I wish us all a peaceful, free, fair and successful primary election.
I thank you all.
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
Ilesa, State of Osun
February 19, 2022