The elder brother of Senator Ademola Adeleke, Deji, has rejected the purported adoption of the former as the governorship candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) come 2022 in the state.

Deji, who spoke on behalf of the family in a statement issued, copy of which was made available to Independent, admonished the PDP leadership to allow his younger brother have rest, having gone through the rigour of governorship election and election trial that terminated at the Supreme Court last week.

It would be recalled that some leaders of the party have expressed their willingness to adopt Ademola Adeleke as the party’s candidate come 2022, stressing that he is still relevant and loved by all in the party and people of the state.

Deji noted that Senator Ademola Adeleke never showed an intention to contest the governorship in the state, but was prevailed upon by some elders of the party which the family accepted reluctantly.

He stated that the PDP in the state will be better off and well-prepared for the next general elections in the state if internal democracy is encouraged and enforced in the party.

Deji charged the party leadership that every member of the party must be given a sense of belonging, in order to grow the party.

He also canvassed for transparent primary elections and told the party that his brother, Senator Ademola should be given a break, to take his well-deserved rest.

His words: “I am not a card-carrying member of any political party but I am a sympathiser/ supporter of PDP in Osun State.

“Osun State PDP will be better off and well-prepared, for the next general elections 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 Elections. 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 22nd September 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 a country.

“As for the Adeleke family of which I am one, we will like to remind all PDP members that Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke had 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.

“Senator 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 well-wishers who are concerned about the Huge Resources committed to execute both the Primary and General Elections, and the payment to Lawyers in the inner bar (SANs) and their juniors, 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 8.5 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 (FDI), economic growth and job creation.”

Expressing his satisfaction about the development, a chieftain of the party, Mr. Emmanuel Pontiff, pointed out, “whoever contrived or complicit in the PDP life-threatening scenario that just played out should now hide in shame. No matter how well-intentioned or compensatory as the move was, it was ill-timed and too visibly self-serving not to be rejected by a discerning mind.

The PDP can and should have done better than this just coming out of an acrimonious intra and inter-party contest. Even if such a plan existed it should have been discreetly executed. I respect the Adeleke family the more now for refusing to be railroaded into this kind of perfidy. The opening sentence is very instructive going forward.” (Independent)

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