A group, Friends of Rauf Aregbesola (FORA), has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of weaponising history to distract Nigerians from the current economic hardship in the country.
FORA was reacting to a statement by the APC Presidential Campaign Council, issued by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, which accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of owing its staff salaries for over a year and singled out the National Secretary of the ADC and former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, over alleged non-payment of salaries during his eight-year tenure as governor.
The group, which is loyal to Aregbesola, in a statement signed by its Director of Media, Ileowo Kikiowo, a copy of which was obtained on Saturday in Osogbo, described as disturbing the attempt by the government to focus on past administration issues while millions of Nigerians grapple with hunger and poverty.
While acknowledging that the issues of modulated salaries and outstanding pension obligations during Aregbesola’s administration remain part of Osun State’s political history, FORA faulted the APC for attempting to reduce his eight years of governance to a single issue.
The group said the APC, in its “intellectually dishonest attempt to discredit” Aregbesola, ignored his broader policy choices and legacies, including the construction of 170 model schools comprising 100 elementary, 50 middle and 20 high schools, the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O-YES), over 300 kilometres of township roads, 222 kilometres of rural roads, free rail transportation for Osun indigenes, reduction of fees in state-owned tertiary institutions and bursary support for students.
“The APC cannot erase history through propaganda, nor can it discredit Ogbeni’s eight years of governance by singling out one issue while ignoring the broader educational reforms, infrastructure and social welfare initiatives associated with that administration,” the group said.
FORA stated that with households afflicted by hunger, businesses collapsing under unbearable costs and millions pushed into multidimensional poverty, the government’s focus on political vendettas shows a preference for propaganda over governance.
The group described the strategy as that of a failing administration in its final days, adding that the distortion of history will not save the current administration in the 2027 general election.
“We find it deeply disturbing that a government presiding over one of the most punishing economic crises in Nigeria’s history would rather manufacture distractions than confront the misery it has inflicted on millions of Nigerians through its voodoo economic policies.
“When hunger afflicts households, businesses collapse under unbearable costs, and millions are pushed into multidimensional poverty, the regime’s preoccupation with petty political vendettas exposes a preference for propaganda over governance,” the statement read.
FORA advised the Federal Government to stop searching the archives for political ammunition and confront what it described as the wreckage of its own making.
The group noted that Nigerians are demanding basic relief from economic hardship rather than historical arguments.
FORA added, “Our advice to this government is to stop rummaging through the archives in search of political ammunition and start confronting the wreckage of its own making.
“Nigerians only want affordable food, decent jobs, accessible healthcare, functioning schools and relief from the crushing weight of economic hardship and insecurity.”
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