Rauf Aregbesola, former Minister of Interior and interim National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has urged supporters of the opposition coalition not to engage in insults, attacks, or altercations with members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a message posted on his official X handle on Friday, Aregbesola also a former governor of Osun State called on ADC supporters to stay focused on issue-based conversations and challenge the government with facts about the prevailing conditions in Nigeria.
“The task before us is immense, and I reminded everyone that we do not need to fight, insult, or attack anyone,” he wrote.
“When others resort to abuse or name-calling, we must rise above it. Instead, ask them one simple question: Are Nigerians better off today than they were before?”
He advised the ADC base to draw attention to worsening food inflation, economic hardship, and deepening poverty across the country.
“Challenge them with facts – on food inflation, the economy, the rising cost of living, and the deepening poverty affecting millions,” he said.
“Articulate our position clearly and confidently. Explain why our new political home, the ADC, represents a credible and necessary alternative for Nigeria’s progress and long-term sustainability.”
Aregbesola’s return to the political spotlight comes after a prolonged fallout with President Bola Tinubu, with whom he had a long-standing relationship dating back to Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State governor in 1999. The rift widened in 2022 when Aregbesola’s political camp, known as Omoluabi, declined to back Gboyega Oyetola Tinubu’s nephew and Aregbesola’s successor for a second term as governor of Osun State.
Instead, Aregbesola’s group supported Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), contributing to Oyetola’s eventual defeat.
Aregbesola is now part of a coalition of opposition figures including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rotimi Amaechi that recently adopted the ADC as their platform ahead of the 2027 general elections, aiming to present a formidable challenge to the APC.
