The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Monday, declared that the former Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, is the next governor of the state.

He said the party has been reclaimed and it is now in the hands of the ‘true progressives’ who will work assiduously to win in the July 16 governorship election.

A statement by his media adviser, Sola Fasure, quoted the Minister as saying this in Ijebu Ijesa while addressing party faithful and stakeholders in the state ahead of the party’s primaries.

Aregbesola added that the present administration in Osun has deviated solely from the true tenets of the All Progressives Congress APC, while those at the helms of affairs have also jettisoned true democracy and the principles which the party and its heroes stand for.

He urged party faithful and stakeholders not to be disturbed but to work in unison for the success of Adeoti in Saturday’s governorship primaries of the APC.

He reiterated that the Rasaq Salinsile led party executives is the authentic APC in Osun.

He was quoted as saying, “anyone who was with us when we started the journey to reclaim Osun for the progressives in 2004 would know we fought very hard for this victory we have today. We went through several challenges then but through thick and thin, we were able to succeed. This time around, we will succeed.

“We are ready to allow a free flow of the democratic process to interplay here. We are not those who play God. We are resolute about reclaiming our party from those who think they can continue to abuse our legacies or even want us to be second fiddles in the party we worked and laboured for. This is our pride and we will sustain it.

“Let me tell you that God is with us. I urge all of our supporters to come all out and back us. Do not have any fears. We are the authentic APC in Osun. If in Lagos, the governor did not do well and the party decided not to return him for a second term, why can’t it be so in Osun? They know what they have done to us is bad and they want to continue the impunity. We will not accept it.

“Do not be disturbed by their threats. Come out en-masse and vote for our aspirant. In Shaa Allah, Adeoti is the next governor of Osun. We should all support him.”

In his remarks, Adeoti expressed his gratitude to the party for the support, promising not to disappoint the party and ensure that the legacies of the progressive government from November 27, 2010, to November 27, 2018, is sustained and built on for the progress of the State of Osun.

Also at the event, according to the statement, were the Chairman of the Party in the State, Alh. Razaq Salinsile; Former Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam; Chairman of The Osun Progressives (TOP), Rev’d Lowo Adebiyi, Ward, Local Government and State Excos who emerged at the last congress of the party, and other party members who came to show solidarity.