Michael Babatunde
Claim
Various posts are emerging on Twitter claiming that Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola and Minister of Internal Affairs who was the former Governor of the State, Rauf Aregbesola have joined forces for the forthcoming election in the state.
Full Text
A Twitter user, CBN Gov Akinsola Akin (@cbngov_akin1) twitted that Aregbesola slapped Oyetola on Sunday, 26 June as a form of reconciliation between the two.
A picture of the duo in warm embrace was attached to the tweet.
BREAKING NEWS
Aregbesola slapped Gov Oyetola earlier today…
Osun 2022 isssaaa goal pic.twitter.com/Om9dCNM2B2
— CBN Gov Akinsola Akin🇳🇬 (@cbngov_akin1) June 26, 2022
His tweet, “BREAKING NEWS: Aregbesola slapped Gov Oyetola earlier today… Osun 2022 isssaaa goal”
The tweet has since garned 130 retweets, 23 quotes and 520 likes.
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Findings showed that the rift between the two started as far back as 2010 with the alleged imposition of Oyetola as Aregbesola’s chief of staff while the latter came into office as governor.
Aregbesola’s Outburst
in February further heightened the atmosphere of aparthy between the duo.
Aregbesola, while addressing party loyalists in Ijebu-jesa in February said Tinubu’s handpicked candidate, Oyetola whom it was agreed with a provision to complete projects started by Aregbesola failed to keep the agreement.
The Minister did not fail to show his displeasure.
Though both men have never openly acknowledged their rifts, revelations from various quarters especially their supporters have made it glaring to the public.
Several interventions into the rift by elder statemen had ended in deadlock.
As the Osun State election billed to hold on July 16 draws near, news and pictures emerged yesterday claiming the two have settled their differences and are United for the elections.
In reaction to this, the Chairman of ‘The Osun Progressives,” a faction in the All Progressives Congress backed by Aregbesola during the last governorship primary of APC in the state, supported former Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, as against the candidature of Oyetola has said so reconciliation yet between the Minister of Interior and the State Governor.
They are old pictures. Members of Ileri Oluwa group are behind it. Disregard them. If there will be reconciliation, it is not pictures that you will see first. Discussion will be held first. No discussion yet. Nothing happened. No reconciliation yet,” Adebiyi said.
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The claim is false, Governor Gboyega Oyetola and Rauf Aregbesola did not meet for reconciliation on Sunday, June 26.
Verification
Checks by FactCheckElection revealed that the duo never met yesterday, Sunday.
Further checks on the picture circulating with the claim revealed that it was a picture of the two meeting Jon anuary 9, 2020.
FactCheckElection also gathered that the two factions belonging separately to the governor and the Minister are still at loggerhead.