In recent times, I have seen and heard many talk down on Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. And it honestly surprised me when I read from APC folks and their data boys boldly declaring that Aregbesola is now irrelevant as though he’s some forgotten politician begging for attention. I had to pause, chuckle a little, and ask: Do these people even know the political terrain of Osun State?
Let’s be honest: Ogbeni is not your regular politician. Whether you love him or dislike his methods, you cannot erase his imprint from the political foundation of Osun State. From his street-style oratory to his infrastructural legacy.

His fallout with Tinubu and former Governor Gboyega Oyetola transformed the Osun APC into a battleground. The once unified house began to burn from within, and the embers are still glowing. Aregbesola’s might be politically orphaned but not stripped of relevance. He’s not a politician to joke with.

Let’s talk to the APC data boys for a minute those spreadsheet-loving social media warriors who analyze politics like a football match and conclude outcomes with misleading charts.

Aregbesola didn’t just help build APC in Osun he was the APC in Osun. The political structure that delivered two terms of governorship, senators, reps, and assembly members was powered by the machinery he built. Without his energy, and grassroots network, APC wouldn’t have had its stronghold in Osun in the first place.Even now, the echoes of his structure are still visible some loyalists are quiet, but they haven’t defected. They’re simply waiting. People might joke and say he is a judas but in Nigerian politics, perception changes fast. All it takes is a by-election, a new alliance, or a defection and the same “irrelevant” figure becomes the power broker overnight.

Remember: Obasanjo once said Atiku was finished. Tinubu himself faced near-political extinction before becoming president. Why would anyone think Aregbesola’s chapter is closed?

Not in the “power corridor” sense, but in the ground game, emotional influence, mobilization ability, and future threat or ally sense. Aregbesola is one of those political figures who doesn’t need a title to move things.

Those who ignore him do so at their own political risk.