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A socio-political group in Osun State, the Progressives Minded Forum, has raised alarm over conspiracy between the state government of sponsoring some individuals and a particular civil society organisation, The Masterminds, to discredit the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
According to PMF, there was a failed government sponsored civil attack on Aregbesola on Monday when the minister was in Osogbo to commission the 72-unit Federal Mortgage Housing Estate in Abere, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari.
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The group, in a press release signed by its Coordinator, Sunday Oriowo, on Tuesday, accused some government officials of mobilising some people who were to disguise as pensioners to protest against Aregbesola during the programme.
But the protest could not take place because the security operatives got the information on time and thwarted the plan of the government officials, according to Oriowo.
The group said when the sponsored protest could not hold, the state government allegedly procured The Masterminds to address a press conference to attack Aregbesola.
The press release reads in part: “The Progressives Minded Forum brings to the attention of the general public a failed government sponsored attack on the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola yesterday in Osogbo, Osun State.
“The attack was not violent this time, unlike the previous one where the convoy of the Minister was attacked by political hoodlums who made attempt on Aregbesola’s life at Orisunmibare, Osogbo.
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“The Monday failed attack was malicious civil actions sponsored by some aides to Governor Gboyega Oyetola. We believed this government officials were acting on behalf of the governor, who is determined to carry on his bitter politics against his benefactor, Aregbesola. This first civil action failed why the second did not get the desired attention.
“The first malicious action sponsored by the government against the minister was the mobilization of some people who were to disguise as pensioners in the state to protest against the minister during the commissioning of the 72-unit Federal Mortgage Housing Estate in Abere.
“But the plan failed because security agents had been duly informed ahead. The information leaked out when the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr Jamiu Olawumi, was confidently telling some people on WhatsApp platforms on Sunday evening that “pensioners will welcome Aregbesola tomorrow”.
“The information was processed and it was discovered that the government had paid some people to disguise as pensioners and protest against the former governor of the State of Osun. Security agents were duly informed and the plan was thwarted.
“Having failed in the first plan, the government activated its second plan by engaging ‘The Masterminds’, a group known for its hypocrisy, money-driven opinion and financially induced press conferences, to launch attack on the Minister, in a desperate bid to discredit his official assignment in Osogbo.
“It is important to note that The Masterminds is a group of four or five disgruntled elements who are willing tools in the hand of the government. No wonder the PDP described them as group of people with inglorious activities and followers of many mushroom CSOs with which they used to dupe political parties, governments and unsuspecting individuals.”
“The procured group called selected journalists to a press conference yesterday where one Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli read out a script prepared for him by one of top media aide to Governor Oyetola.
“The group, as usual, shamefully raised issue on the debt profile of the state, accusing Aregbesola of plunging the state to debt which was responsible for the minus allocation to the state from FAAC. The group asked Governor Oyetola to address the people of the state and tell them the kind of government he inherited from Aregbesola.”
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However, the PMF asked Governor Oyetola to tell the people of the state the actual debt profile of the state when he took over power in 2018, the repayment method and projects that the loans were expended on.
PMF also urged the Governor to disclose ‘other deductions’ which made Osun to receive negative allocation from the Federal Government and the actual amount being generated as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).”
“Mr Governor sir, members of the public would like to know “other deductions” which put the state into negative in the February allocation. The people will also like to know how you have been funding the little projects you have embarked upon since all your claim is ‘there is no money in the state.’ The Governor should speak as requested by the deluded Masterminds”, it added.
The release further reads: “Besides, it is pathetic that a supposed objective group would close its eye to the nondisclosure of N11.9bn refund to the Osun State government on federal government project executed by Aregbesola, but rather continue to blame the former governor for the debt.
“May we ask the self-styled group why it has refused to talk on the assets left behind by the Aregbesola’s administration that have increased the IGR of the state.
“The Masterminds should ask Oyetola why the projects he inherited have been fallen into ruins under him. The group should genuinely serve the interest of the people by asking why social programmes like Osun Ambulance Service and O’Clean have not been functioning well under Oyetola.
“The general public should ask The Masterminds why it has refused to speak on the insecurity in the state, in spite of the incessant killings, cult clashes and violent thuggery activities that have taken over the state. The Mastermind should explain why it has refused to issue a press release on the death of OAU student, the cult clashes in Ilesa and Osogbo, the violence in Ede, armed robbery and ritual killings in Ile-Ife.
“We note that members of The Masterminds cannot raise voice against the Oyetola’s administration because it is their ‘pot of soup’. The group is procured by the government to continue attacking Aregbesola, but the more the attacks come, the more the popularity of the Minister.
“The general public should know that The Mastermind is Oyetola’s sponsored group and nothing serious could come out of it.”