Adoption of Sen. Adeleke’s for 2023 ill-timed, says elder brother

By Gbenga Olarinoye, Osogbo

The elder brother to Senator Ademola Adeleke, Dr. Deji Adeleke, on Thursday has described the adoption of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2018 governorship election as the party’s flag bearer in Osun state for the 2022 poll as ill-timed and self-serving.

Rather, he said the PDP would be better off and be well prepared for the next general elections in the state, if it encourages and enshrines internal democracy.

He said this while reacting to the purported adoption of Sen. Ademola Adeleke as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2022 gubernatorial election by some chieftains of the PDP in the state.

Dr. Adeleke insisted that every member of the party must be given a sense of belonging in order to grow the party and canvassed for transparent primary elections even as he pleaded with the party for his brother to be given a break to take his well-deserved rest.

“I am not a card carrying member of any political party, but I am a sympathizer/ supporter of the PDP in Osun state. Osun state PDP will be better off and well prepared for the next general election in the state if internal democracy is encouraged and enforced.

“All elective positions, including the position of governor of the state should be open to all members of the party to contest in a transparent primary election. Everyone must be given a sense of belonging in order to grow the party in Osun state.

“The PDP members that are trading blames within the party should be reminded that PDP won the governorship election held on September 222, 2018, but was not allowed to take office by the powers that be in the ruling party.

“Members should be proud that the electorate sided with the party against the ruling party in that election and not blame each other for the daylight robbery that deprived the party of the mandate freely given by the good people of Osun state, which has brought shame and disgrace to Nigeria as country.

“As for the Adeleke family of which I am one, we will like to remind all PDP members that Sen. Ademola Adeleke, has no intention to contest the governorship election in the first place, but was invited and prevailed upon by the party leadership and party elders to contest the governorship election, which he and his family accepted most reluctantly after receiving assurances and promises that were never kept. Everything that followed after this is now history.

“Sen. Adeleke should therefore be given a break to take his well -deserved rest and decide what he will do/not do when the time comes. And for the members and other wellwishers who are concerned about the huge resources committed to execute both the primary and general elections, and the payment to lawyers, I thank all of them for their concerns.

“But, whatever is spent on elections should not be considered an investment that will be recouped upon assumption of office through corruption and open banditry as we have seen happen in Osun state in the last eight and half years.

“Contributions to an election fund should always be considered a grant to help deepen our democracy and advance the rule of law which eventually translates into foreign direct investments, economic growth and job creation,” he stated.