The rumoured rift between former governor of Oyo state, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala and senator representing Oyo North senatorial district, Dr. Fatai Buhari, has been debunked by the aides of the two All Progressives Congress (APC) gladiators.
Recently, insinuation was making the rounds that the two leaders, who started to foster a good rapport about two years ago after 14 years of political separatism, had parted ways again over politics of 2023.
The last week visit to former Governor Rashidi Ladoja in Ibadan by three APC governors including Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, and Mai Buni of Yobe as well as Dimeji Bankole, a former Speaker, House of Representatives, said to have been orchestrated by Fatai Buhari, is similarly pointed at as an indication of the feud on the ground that Akala had no prior knowledge of the visit.
Purveyors of the rift narrative gave this development as an evidence, “Buhari took Buni and co to Ladoja without the knowledge of Akala, it is to spite him.”
It was also stated that the ways things are going in the party have made it imperative that they part ways, “their faction of the APC is losing out as shown by the outcome of the ward congress of the party earlier this month. So, water will find its level.”
However, loyalists of the two chieftains have denied anything resembling rift, pointing out nothing like that is even brewing.
“There is nothing like that, their relationship is very, very cordial,” Alhaji Wasiu Olukan, a long term aide to Akala, told ogbomosoinsightonline.com.
Alhaji Olukan continued, “On the visit by Alhaji Buni and co, Oga (Akala) knew about it, there is no crisis between them, it is the handiwork of those who are losing out.”
Also, Hon Adedeji Abiodun Adeyemo, an assistant to Dr. Buhari stated, “There is no iota of truth in it, it is mere rumour.”
