Former Osun State Governor and ex-Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has stated that he completed his eight-year tenure as governor without acquiring a personal house, insisting that he never used his position in government to obtain properties.
Aregbesola made the claim in a video while speaking to supporters, where he explained that he lived in a friend’s apartment throughout his time as governor. He said the residence was located on his father’s property in Ilesha.
The former governor described himself as the only Nigerian governor who served two terms in office without building or owning a personal home during his tenure.
He challenged anyone who disagrees with his statement to provide evidence of any property he acquired while serving as governor of Osun State.
Aregbesola said his performance in public office should be assessed through facts and records rather than the assumption that political office holders automatically accumulate wealth while in power.
The claim has generated mixed reactions from social media users, with some supporting his statement while others questioned his achievements and whether he may have owned properties outside his name.
Some commenters claimed they were familiar with the residence where he stayed during his time as governor, while others demanded more proof before accepting the statement.
Born on May 25, 1957, Aregbesola began his political journey during his student years and later became involved in pro-democracy activities during the military era.
He played a major role in the political organisation that supported Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergence as Lagos State governor and later served as Lagos Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, where he was involved in several road and urban development projects.
After a legal battle over the 2007 Osun governorship election, Aregbesola was declared winner and became governor in November 2010. During his administration, he introduced programmes including the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O’YES) and the Opon Imo educational initiative.
In 2019, he was appointed Minister of Interior by former President Muhammadu Buhari, where he supervised reforms within agencies under the ministry.
His political relationship with Tinubu later deteriorated, leading to disagreements within the All Progressives Congress (APC). He has since moved to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he serves as National Secretary.
