•The 2022 OSUN Guber Elections
•How He Funded His Campaign Expenses
Social media is yet to get over the buzz recently generated by the reactions of the governor-elect of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, when he was formally declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the state’s governorship election last week.
Ademola Adeleke, who clearly defeated the incumbent governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola in the July 16 guber poll, was seen in a viral video prostrating flatly for his billionaire elder brother, Deji Adeleke, the father of the popular Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, a.k.a Davido.
Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 403,371 votes against that of the All Progressives Congress, APC’s Oyetola, who polled 375,027 votes in the election.
In the video, the governor-elect, his brother, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his counterpart from Bayelsa State, Douye Diri and some others were monitoring the announcement of the result in the residence of the Adelekes in Ede when he was declared the winner.
The governor-elect, who couldn’t curtail his joy, sprang to his feet and prostrated before his elder brother and thanked him profusely.
Of course, that wasn’t surprising to those who are aware of the vital role that Dr Deji Adeleke played in his brother’s electoral victory. That is the man who made things happen for Ademola Adeleke as far as the governorship election is concerned. If not, who could have given an incumbent governor a run for his money as the Adeleke's have done in the 2022 Osun governorship election?
The billionaire business magnate and the CEO of Pacific Holdings Limited, Dr Deji Adeleke didn’t only provide the moral and financial war chest to execute the election, he also used his rich contacts in high places to favour his brother.
The Adeleke family also stood solidly behind their own with full force. Davido and B-Red were on the ground throughout. Chief (Mrs) Dupe Adeleke-Sanni was practically present at all political rallies. That is the Adelekes for you. They are a close-knitted family, and what affects one affects others.
As a matter of fact, the grand plan to make Ademola Adeleke the governor of the state didn’t just start yesterday. It was exclusively gathered that the whole thing was a well-laid plan which kick-started almost immediately after Ademola Adeleke hit the political limelight in 2017.
Adeleke, it would be recalled, ventured into politics fully in 2017 following the death of their eldest brother and the first civilian governor of Osun State, who ruled the state between January 1992 and November 1993, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke otherwise known as ‘Serubawon’.
Isiaka Adeleke was the Federal Lawmaker representing Osun West at the Senate on the platform of APC at the time of his death.
The governor-elect, who was in the APC alongside his late brother, was wooed back to the PDP and given the senatorial ticket and he won the bye-election.
Interestingly, Ademola Adeleke came into the picture when Osun PDP was going through serious financial turbulence. Omisore, who was the major financier of the party, had left due to some internal crisis rocking the party then.
So, it was Dr Deji Adeleke who is said to have come to the rescue of the party at that time and started financing party projects.
This kind gesture of his toward the party was also said to be the main reason his brother was given the guber ticket to contest the 2018 election, which he lost to the APC’s Oyetola. Even after 2018, Deji Adeleke, it was gathered, continued taking care of the party and oiling the political machinery being put in place.
Apart from the financial capability, another thing that has also worked for Ademola Adeleke in the 2022 governorship election and the previous ones is, the good name which has been built over the years.
The Adelekes are quite popular in Osun State and powerful, respected and well-loved in Ede particularly. This is because of the huge development the family has brought to the town. Dr Deji Adeleke has his Adeleke University in Ede, as well as other investments here and there. Not only that, indigenes of Ede, who are students of Adeleke University, enjoy different categories of scholarships.
The Adeleke political dynasty is also a phenomenon in Osun State. The father, late Chief Raji Ayoola Adeleke was a senator in the second republic. He represented Osun State Senatorial District 11 which comprises six Local Governments-Ede, Osogbo, Irepodun, Ifelodun, Odo Otin and Ila Orangun. Pa Ayoola was not only a prominent politician but also an activist.
He was the Vice President, United Labour Congress of Nigeria, Director of Organisation Federal Labour Advisory Council, and Chairman, Nigerian Red Cross, Ede, Osun Branch. He was elected a senator in the 1979 Nigerian parliamentary election, under the Unity Party of Nigeria.
- Dare AdEniran
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