Former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, has generated widespread reactions on social media after stating that he completed his eight-year tenure in office without owning a personal house.
Speaking in a video that has since gone viral, Aregbesola claimed he lived in a friend’s residence throughout his time as governor and challenged anyone with evidence to prove that he owns a house.
“I’m the first governor in Nigeria to govern a state for eight years without owning a house. Whoever says otherwise should show me the house I own,” he said.
The statement quickly sparked debate on X (formerly Twitter), where users expressed sharply differing opinions about the former governor’s record in office.
Reacting to the claim, @Mellyandfx001 wrote: “That’s the kind of claim that people will either admire or demand proof for. In politics, words alone rarely settle the debate.”
Criticising the former governor, @ThreeLeftThumbs said: “Just shows that he is a bad manager of resources. They used to call him Baba Hafusa because he was fond of paying civil servants half salary, if they ever got it on time.”
Similarly, @Wizfather1 alleged that Aregbesola’s administration owed civil servants several months of salaries and later introduced a salary modulation system under which some workers received between 50 and 75 percent of their wages for years.
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Also, @omoadesawe claimed that billions of naira were budgeted for the Opon Imo tablet initiative but questioned the whereabouts of many of the devices after they were reportedly retrieved from students. The user also alleged that Osun workers were paid half salaries for 36 months during Aregbesola’s tenure.
Responding to the criticism, @RamonSalawudeen defended the former governor, arguing that many students failed to return their Opon Imo tablets after the change of government. The user described Aregbesola as “the best thing that has ever happened to Osun State,” while acknowledging that he was “not perfect.” He also claimed that salary challenges affected only certain categories of workers during Aregbesola’s second term and were due to the state’s financial situation.
The online exchanges reflect the continuing divide over Aregbesola’s legacy, with supporters pointing to what they see as his personal simplicity and commitment to public service, while critics continue to raise concerns about the economic policies and labour issues that characterised his administration.
