Retirees Protest Against Aregbesola's 2026 Guber Bid

On a recent date, retirees in Osogbo, Osun State, staged a protest demanding that stakeholders reject the return of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his allies in the 2026 gubernatorial elections. The protest was led by Omoniyi Ilesanmi, representing the 2011 and 2012 retirees from the Osun State unbond contributory pension scheme.

Ilesanmi highlighted a 13-year struggle with unpaid gratuities and pension arrears, attributing these issues to alleged financial mismanagement during Aregbesola's administration. The protesters criticized Aregbesola's focus on "white elephant projects" over worker welfare and called on the people of Osun State to prevent his return, warning it would exacerbate economic difficulties.

They acknowledged the current Governor Ademola Adeleke's efforts in initiating quarterly payments of half pension arrears but appealed for a review to enable monthly payments. The retirees emphasized their plight, having received only partial payments for over 32 months, and insisted that the issues stem from Aregbesola's governance, which they deemed detrimental to public workers.