By Hauwa Umar
Former Osun State Governor and immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has fiercely denied reports making the rounds that he traveled to France to secretly meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The rumour, which gained traction across social media platforms, claimed that the duo—once close political allies whose relationship has seen visible strains in recent years—held a reconciliation meeting in France. However, Aregbesola has now come out to rubbish the claims, describing them as false, misleading, and the product of deliberate misinformation.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media adviser, Mr. Sola Fasure, Aregbesola clarified that he has not left Nigeria and is currently in Abuja.
“We want to state clearly and categorically that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is currently in Abuja. He has not travelled out of Nigeria, let alone visited France. The report is entirely fabricated, baseless, and should be disregarded by the general public,” the statement read.
The statement further described the false narrative as the handiwork of mischief-makers attempting to stoke political confusion and manipulate public perception around the Tinubu-Aregbesola relationship.
“There is no meeting, no trip, no France,” Fasure added firmly.
Since leaving office, Aregbesola has maintained a deliberate distance from political drama, focusing on his personal engagements. However, his name continues to surface in media chatter, particularly in relation to the political trajectory of President Tinubu, under whom he once served as Commissioner in Lagos State.
Analysts say the speed and clarity of Aregbesola’s rebuttal underscores his resolve to steer clear of orchestrated media stunts and political baiting, especially in the heat of ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former Minister’s camp warned those behind the fake report to desist from dragging his name into falsehoods aimed at scoring cheap political points or causing unnecessary tension within the ruling party.
Full Statement From Sola Fasure Below:
“We want to state clearly and categorically that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is currently in Abuja. He has not travelled out of Nigeria, let alone visited France. The report is entirely fabricated, baseless, and should be disregarded by the general public.”