News
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; A Political Titan Whose Relevance Transcends Party Lines – by Adio Abiodun
In the ever-evolving theatre of Nigerian politics, it is rare to find a figure whose presence, long after leaving office, continues to shape discourse, influence outcomes, and unsettle opponents. Such is the story of Engr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, popularly called Ogbeni, whose recent appointment as the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria’s newly rising opposition platform, has again jolted political structures, particularly within his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
For many, Aregbesola’s reemergence in a new partisan home should have been a moment for sober reflection on his enduring relevance, capacity, and value. Instead, what we have witnessed is an uncoordinated, if not laughable, barrage of attacks and verbal potshots from a few politically naive individuals, most of whom are long-standing rivals within the Osun APC, individuals who, despite their years of scheming, have failed to erase Ogbeni’s towering legacy in the state and beyond.
To understand the roots of this resentment, one must journey back to the formative years of Aregbesola’s political life. From his youthful days as an activist and organiser during the pro-democracy struggles of the 1990s, Ogbeni has always been driven by ideological clarity and revolutionary commitment to the people. He was never the kind of politician who sought office for its trappings; rather, he wielded power as a tool for societal transformation.
His association with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos became the defining point of his emergence as a political strategist of immense depth. As Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, Aregbesola helped entrench a new governance model that many states later tried to emulate. His strategic input was critical to the survival of opposition politics in Lagos and other parts of the Southwest, especially during the years when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) threatened to overrun the region.
But it was his electoral triumph in Osun State in 2010, following a titanic legal battle, that cemented his status as a political lion. For eight years, Aregbesola redefined governance in Osun, focusing on infrastructure, education, social protection, and youth development. His policies were bold, at times controversial, but undeniably impactful. Even after he left office in 2018, his presence has continued to loom large, which understandably unsettles some within the Osun APC establishment, who have since struggled to fill the vacuum he left behind.
Their discomfort with Aregbesola’s sustained popularity is the real reason for the recent attacks on his person. They fear what his mobilization strength could mean in the lead-up to 2027, particularly now that he is realigning through the ADC, a platform increasingly being seen as the nucleus of a credible third force in Nigerian politics.
His critics, mostly lacking in historical perspective and real grassroots engagement, have failed to acknowledge the fact that Aregbesola’s contributions to the APC’s evolution were not just significant, they were foundational. In Lagos, he helped build the structures that won elections even in the face of federal hostility. In Osun, he delivered two electoral cycles and helped mobilize the Southwest for the APC in the 2015 and 2019 general elections. Across Nigeria, his role as a political tactician was always in demand.
That the APC has now become a party in desperate need of ideological reawakening, internal cohesion, and mass trust, is in part due to the marginalization of men like Aregbesola, men who built, bled, and sacrificed for the party when it was unpopular to do so.
His new role in the ADC, far from being an act of political betrayal, is a reflection of the maturity of Nigeria’s democracy. It signals the possibility of alternative platforms gaining traction, especially when steered by individuals with credibility and experience. If anything, Aregbesola’s involvement in the ADC is bound to reshape alignments, particularly among disenchanted progressives within the APC who now seek a home more reflective of their ideals.
As Nigeria inches towards another defining electoral cycle in 2027, it is clear that Ogbeni remains a central factor in any serious political calculation. His reach, particularly among the youth and the working class, remains formidable. His political structure, developed over decades of activism, governance, and strategic engagement, is not one to be dismissed by opportunistic upstarts.
To dismiss Aregbesola is to misunderstand Nigerian politics. To try and undermine his legacy is to deny reality. For now, and for the foreseeable future, Ogbeni remains not just a man of history, but a man of destiny.
And that, perhaps, is what threatens his rivals the most.
Seasoned actress Kate Henshaw has opened up about her fallout with colleague Genevieve Nnaji.
Appearing on the Tea with Tay podcast, Henshaw reflected on the end of their friendship, saying it faded quickly.
Henshaw who could not identify the exact cause of the breakdown, stated they may have grown apart or that some level of mistrust existed, but she remains unsure of what happened.
“We grew apart. Maybe she had some kind of mistrust about me… I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what came over her but I’ve moved on,” Henshaw said.
The actress did not give further details on when the fallout occurred.
Both actresses are icons of Nollywood and have featured in several notable films since the late 1990s.
Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of properties recovered from Chinese and Nigerians involved in illegal mining activities in Ogun State to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The forfeited assets include a mining site located behind the Baale’s Palace on Ileposo Street, adjacent to 59 Street, Ode-Remo, Ogun State; a Toyota 4Runner SUV with registration number AWE 261 AE; two trucks laden with substantial quantities of mica and lithium stones; and a 40-foot container containing substantial quantities of mica and lithium stones.
The judge made the order, following a motion filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ikoyi, through its counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, seeking an order for the custody and disposal of the properties pursuant to Section 330 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and other relevant laws.
The Commission also sought an order empowering the EFCC, in collaboration with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and court officials, to dispose of the forfeited assets and deposit the proceeds into an interest-bearing account pending the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.
According to an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, intelligence reports revealed that several individuals, including Chinese and Nigerians, were involved in the illegal mining and trade of mineral resources, particularly mica and lithium stones.
The affidavit further revealed that the syndicate mined and transported the mineral resources from various locations across Nigeria to a site in Ode-Remo Local Government Area of Ogun State, where the minerals were sorted, processed and prepared for export through Apapa Wharf and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
It was also revealed that operatives of the Commission carried out a sting operation in the early hours of Friday, May 9, 2025, leading to the arrest of two Chinese alleged to be kingpins and six Nigerians at the mining site.
Items recovered during the operation included the Toyota SUV, three trucks loaded with substantial quantities of mica and lithium stones, as well as a 40-foot container containing 3,210 bags of the mineral resources.
According to the affidavit, the properties listed in the schedule were at risk of rapid deterioration due to the rainy season and were already losing economic value.
It was also stated in the affidavit that the principal actors involved in the illegal activities had already been arraigned before the court on charges relating to the unauthorised dealing in mineral resources.
After reviewing the affidavit evidence and submissions by the Commission, Justice Osiagor granted the application and ordered the final forfeiture and disposal of the assets.
The judge also directed that the proceeds be paid into an interest-bearing account pending the criminal trial of the defendants.
Telecommunications subscribers across Nigeria have regained access to emergency airtime lending services as major operators, Airtel and Glo, quietly restored the platforms following the suspension of the controversial Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending, DEON, Regulations 2025 by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC.
The development comes amid mounting legal pressure on the Commission after a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos ordered a halt to the enforcement of the regulations pending the determination of a suit challenging its powers over telecom-based airtime advances.
Confirming the restoration of the services, Chairman of the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria, WASPAN, Ayo Stuffman, disclosed on Monday that the platforms had resumed operations on both networks.
“As we speak, the services in question are already active on Airtel and Glo,” he said.
The return of the services has brought relief to millions of subscribers who depend on emergency airtime credit for daily communication and small-scale business operations.
Industry estimates put the annual airtime lending market at over ₦400 billion.
The FCCPC had earlier moved to regulate airtime lending platforms under the DEON Regulations 2025, insisting that such services fall within the scope of digital consumer credit and therefore require oversight to protect users from alleged abuses, including data privacy violations and unfair lending practices.
The Commission claimed it had received more than 11,000 consumer complaints linked to digital lending operations.
However, the enforcement triggered resistance from stakeholders in the telecommunications ecosystem, particularly WASPAN and other operators, who argued that airtime advances are telecom value-added services and not conventional consumer loans.
The legal dispute escalated after Justice A. Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, issued an order restraining the FCCPC from enforcing the framework, while Form 49 contempt proceedings were reportedly initiated against the Commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello.
As at the time of putting this story together at about noon on Tuesday, MTN was yet to comply with the court order.
-
Health & Wellness9 months agoPresident Tinubu Directs Cut in Dialysis Cost from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000
-
News10 months agoPICTURE: In Lagos Couple Sentenced to 22½ Years for Cannabis Trafficking
-
Business2 months agoDangote Refinery Reduces Petrol Gantry Price To ₦1,200 Per Litre
-
Trending News10 months agoNELFUND Disburses ₦86bn To 449,000 Beneficiaries
-
International News2 months agoIndian Police Arrest Nigerian Over ₦290m Drug Haul
-
Business2 years agoHeritage Bank Customers’ Path to Securing ₦5m Insured Funds: A Step-By-Step Guide by NDIC”
-
Business2 months agoAfter Plea Bargain, Court Discharges Stella Oduah of ₦2.5bn Fraud
-
Business2 years ago
Dangote; We Did Not Fix ₦600/Litre Petrol Price