The younger brother to the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, the first civilian governor of Osun State, Dr. Ademola Adeleke, has emerged the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the July 8 Osun West Senatorial District bye-election.
Adeleke, who had dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress for the Soji Adagubodo-led faction of the Osun PDP late last night, emerged as the party’s candidate after three aspirants for the vacant senatorial seat that was created by the demise of his elder brother, stepped down for him.
The PDP had scheduled its primary election for Wednesday morning in Iwo, Osun State while aspirants as well as their delegates had thronged the venue to cast their ballots before the aspirants announced their decisions to step down for Adeleke to fly the party’s flag.
While Mr. Bamidele Salam and Col. Olayiwola Falabi had stepped down for Adeleke before the commencement of the primary, the last aspirant, Mr. olasunkanmi Akinlabi, announced his withdrawal from the primary at the venue on Wednesday.
The three aspirants said that they stepped down in the interest of the party.
Nonetheless, the party commenced the primary election.
Speaking with journalists, Olasunkanmi said, “Other aspirants, as at yesterday (Tuesday), decided to step down for him (Adeleke), but I have to step down, too, after calls from various quarters. The party promised that Osun West would produce the governorship candidate for the party next year. I am stepping down in party’s interest and not for the sake of Dr. Ademola Adeleke.”
Adeleke had on Tuesday tendered his letter of withdrawal from participating in the APC primary and also resigned from the party.
In the letter, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, Adeleke said, “I am constrained to take this decision due to the obvious manipulations and interference by political godfathers and power brokers that created the cloudy and controversial circumstances that led to the mysterious ” re-qualification” of a candidate that was disqualified at two levels of the party’s screening process.
“Equally important and unacceptable is the fact that the party has chosen to conduct the primaries in Osogbo, instead of Iwo, the senatorial district headquarters, thereby exposing the process to potential nullification.”
