Former Senator representing Osun Central, Professor Olusola Adeyeye, has said that former Osun State Governor and ex-Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, had an exceptionally strong affection and loyalty for President Bola Tinubu during their years as political allies.

Adeyeye made the remarks while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, where he reflected on the once-close relationship between Tinubu and Aregbesola and their subsequent political differences.

According to the former lawmaker, he believed Tinubu might miss Aregbesola’s presence in his political circle, although he would not publicly acknowledge it.

Adeyeye said, “I don’t think he (Tinubu) will admit it, but I am sure he does. I say this because I don’t know anyone who loved Asiwaju as much as Rauf did, and I don’t know anyone who would go to any extent for Rauf as Asiwaju did.”

He described the relationship between the two politicians as unusually strong, recalling that when he returned from the United States, he was careful not to establish a political relationship with Tinubu outside Aregbesola’s knowledge because he did not want to create suspicion between the two allies.

Adeyeye, who served in the Senate while Aregbesola was governor of Osun State, also disclosed that he maintained a close political relationship with the former governor and regularly sought his approval on political matters.

He said the subsequent political alliance between Aregbesola and former Senate President David Mark, now the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, was another example of how political relationships could change over time.

“Politics makes strange bedfellows,” Adeyeye stated, noting that he knew the history between Aregbesola and Mark during their years in opposing political camps.

Reflecting on the fallout between Tinubu and Aregbesola, Adeyeye said he had previously attempted to reconcile the two men.

“I had done my best to resolve whatever crisis of confidence that had arisen between the two people. I have never heard anybody in politics who has a higher esteem for the man who is now our President than Rauf Aregbesola. He loved him,” he said.

Adeyeye further said Aregbesola’s regard for Tinubu was so high that, in his words, “the only person who takes precedence over him is God himself,” before adding that political relationships could change with circumstances.

Aregbesola served as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure under Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos State and later became governor of Osun State after securing the then-ACN governorship ticket and winning a prolonged legal battle.

Their political relationship later deteriorated amid disagreements over politics in Osun State, particularly over Aregbesola’s succession. Tinubu subsequently backed Gboyega Oyetola, Aregbesola’s former Chief of Staff, in the 2018 Osun governorship election.

The differences became more pronounced ahead of the 2022 Osun governorship election, leading Aregbesola and his supporters to distance themselves from the APC structure in the state.

Aregbesola has since emerged as the National Secretary of the ADC, whose National Chairman is former Senate President David Mark, as the opposition party positions itself ahead of the 2027 general elections.