BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Senator Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2018 Osun State governorship election would not have smelt politics if not for the sudden death of his elder brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who died on April 23, 2017.
Isiaka, a former governor of Osun state, died of heart attack while he was a member of the Nigerian Senate. He represented Osun West Senatorial District of the state.
The need for a bye-election to fill the vacuum left by the late Isiaka brought Ademola to political limelight because he was largely unknown politically prior to Isiaka’s demise. Ademola, who had spent much of his time abroad, was picked by the PDP to contest the bye-election.
After the senatorial bye-election, Ademola emerged victorious with a landslide victory, winning nine out of 10 local governments of Osun West Senatorial District. His landslide victory shocked the ruling APC, because it thought that Ademola, being a newcomer to Nigeria’s elective politics, would not have defeated a former senator, Mudashiru Hussein of the APC, even with the support of the then Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.
Ademola admitted that his victory was due to his brother’s “historical goodwill” and influence. Speaking after the bye-election, he had said, “I was having fun during the campaign and enjoying my dance because my brother (Isiaka) had done 70 percent of the job with his historical goodwill right from when he became an executive governor in 1991. I was always with him. I want to follow his footsteps and may God help me.”
Owing to his remarkable electoral performance at the bye-election, the popularity of the Adeleke dynasty in Ede, Osun State and the fact that the people of the state thought it was wise that Osun West produce the next Governor of the state since other two Senatorial Districts – Osun Central and Osun East- had governned the state, PDP, in the build up to the 2018 governorship poll, declared Ademola it’s gubernatorial flag bearer after he narrowly defeated a Chieftain of the party, Akin Ogunbiyi, with a seven-vote difference.
Ademola contested the 2018 Governorship election with Governor Oyetola and almost defeated the latter despite speculation that he lacked academic and intellectual capacity. Although Mr Adeleke had led his APC rival with 353 votes at the end of the first round of ballots at the keenly contested guber poll, the table turned the other way after the supplementary election conducted, with the APC candidate (Oyetola), overtaking and beating the PDP candidate with a total margin of 482 votes.
Besides leading in the number of votes cast, the APC also led in the number of local governments won, winning a total of 16 local governments as against 11 won by the PDP. The SDP won two while the ADP won one. Ademola and Osun PDP then dragged Oyetola to court and alleged that the election was rigged. The Osun State governorship elections petitions tribunal sitting in Abuja, declared Ademola winner of the gubernatorial election but the Appeal Court and Supreme Court upturned it and affirmed Oyetola winner of the poll.
Ever since the court discharged and acquitted him on the certificate forgery case, Ademola had returned to his base at the United States of America. Even in his absence, residents of the state, especially those who are empathetic to the PDP still yearn for him to return and contest the forthcoming Governorship election. The leadership of the party, leaders and chieftains have not hidden their support and desire for the 60 – year-old Ademola to return and wrestle power with Oyetola, again.
Ademola made headlines in the traditional and online media recently when he bagged a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice at the Atlanta Metropolitan State College, United States of America. Speaking recently, in an interview on why he waited till 60 before bagging a degree, Ademola had said, “I am by the grace of God a man given to the pursuit of knowledge and skills. Before politics, I had successfully managed businesses worth several millions of dollars.
“I was involved in turning around blue-chip companies and so I am eminently equipped to turn around the fortune of Osun State for good. My recent completion of a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice should even put all doubts as to my academic records to rest. I am sure you know it takes more than being average to attain this feat. They are free to check my school records, they will marvel at my performance.
“The quest for more knowledge motivated me to enroll for a degree programme. I had enough time after the controversial decisions of the courts on the Osun State governorship election. I could not just be politicking so soon and so I decided to go back to school. It is a desire to be a better me and it was a worthwhile decision,” Ademola said.
Some PDP Federal lawmakers from Osun had recently visited Ademola at his USA home to solidarise and assure him of their support as the forthcoming election approaches.
Those who met with Ademola included members of the House of Representatives in the state, Rep Bamidele Salam, representing Ede-Egbedore-Ejigbo federal constituency, Rep Oluwole Oke, representing Obokun-Oriade federal constituency and Rep Ajilesoro Abimbola , representing Ife federal constituency. Some of them have referred to Ademola as “incoming Governor of Osun by 2022” on their social media posts.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Diran Odeyemi said that Ademola would defeat Oyetola or whoever the APC would be presenting as candidate at the July 16 Governorship Election in 2022.
Also speaking in an interview with The Point, a close ally to Senator Ademola and one of his foot soldiers, Akintunde Sheriff, said though the party was yet to hold its primaries, “more than overwhelming majority of PDP members in Osun state and indeed the leaders, are for Ademola Adeleke. So, anyday, anytime, if we go to the field of play, we are sure that Ademola Adeleke will surely emerge victorious with the help of God and support of the people.”
“He (Ademola) has been looking back, performing his duties and looking at the welfare of party members. Every festive period, even during COVID-19 lockdown, he kept on doing things for us. So, if people are saying Adeleke is the one we want; if people are endorsing him right, left and centre, we as a party do not see anything bad in that
“
In an interview with The Point, Osun PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi, had said the party was backing Ademola because he “performed wonderfully during the last elections. He has won two elections in quick succession. In the senatorial election, he won nine out of 10 local governments. He defeated the sitting Governor before the abracadabra and remote control from Abuja changed the whole thing and since that time, he has not left us as a party.
“He (Ademola) has been looking back, performing his duties and looking at the welfare of party members. Every festive period, even during COVID-19 lockdown, he kept on doing things for us. So, if people are saying Adeleke is the one we want; if people are endorsing him right, left and centre, we as a party do not see anything bad in that. However, we are not saying that whoever that is interested should not come out. No! It shouldn’t be so. Let those who are also interested come out and vie,” Bisi noted.
But some APC members have argued that the growing popularity of Ademola and his recent academic qualification were not threats to Oyetola, who has been rooting for a second term.
Some chieftains of the party who have declared interest to also contest the Governorship election are Akin Ogunbiyi and Sanya Omirin. The party has slated its Governorship primary for February, next year.
As politicking continues to gather momentum ahead of July 16 next year, Senator Ademola Adeleke, who has become so popular for his vigorous, entertaining dance moves and his fondness for flaunting these in public ― a trend that has earned him the name, “the dancing senator,” is not leaving any stone unturned in his bid to occupy the Oke-Fia Government House in November 27, 2022.
