Rauf Aregbesola, immediate the immediate past Minister of Interior, has inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Omoluabi caucus in Osun.
Aregbesola, during the inauguration on Tuesday in Ilesa, said that the caucus was not a faction of APC, but a union of like-minds in the state.
While describing the Omoluabi as one of the caucus in the state, the former governor of Osun restated his commitment to the progressive ideas and APC in the state.
“The Omoluabi Tendency is a caucus within the All Progressives Congress (APC); actually one of the caucuses in the state.
“We are not a faction. We are the genuine foundation members of the party and we have no intention of abandoning the ship of the party as it navigates the most turbulent waters.
“We are no sprinters, but long-distance runners and we will still be standing when all the fair-weathers have gone”, he said.
Aregbesola, a two-term governor of the state, also said that the inauguration of the caucus was to renew their path in progressive politics as inherited from Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Bola Ige, among other progressives, who epitomised the Omoluabi ethos.
He also said that the loss of the party in July 2022 governorship election in the state could be traced to the departure from “these progressive ideals”, adding that the party will bounce back to its winning ways.
According to him, it is clear the people have not rejected the progressives in Osun, giving the warm reception accorded to his tendency; they were only unhappy with the managers of the party at that time.
“Given the enthusiastic and heartfelt reception accorded us by the people anytime we are in the state, it is clear that they did not reject us or our party.
“They are only not well pleased with the individuals who have turned our party to personal fiefdom and abandoned the path of progressivism and the interest of the people.
“Our party failed principally because of indiscipline and lack/loss of focus.
“This is manifested in form of lack of character and incompetence. Character is the mental and moral qualities required in an individual to occupy certain office or perform certain task”, he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after the formal inauguration of the caucus, the group adopted its charter which includes; Progressivism, Omoluabi Ethos, Discipline, Competence and Inclusivity as its core values.
The membership of the caucus drawn from the 332 wards in the state, were represented by five members from each of the wards.