Adeleke’s senatorial victory: End of road for APC in Osun – ex-minister Jelili Adesiyan

Former minister of police affairs, Jelli Adesiyan, describes the victory of Ademola Adeleke in the Osun West Senatorial District bye-election as the end of the road for the Rauf Aregbesola-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Osun State.
Speaking with newsmen in Ibadan on Sunday, Adesiyan, who hails from Ode-Omu in Osun West Senatorial District, congratulated the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the electorate in the area for what he described as their “unique outing” at the weekend poll.
“For the first time in recent times, nobody induced any voter. Rather, it was the other way round. Aregbesola’s government induced voters. The people collected the money but voted according to their conscience and voted him out. It was a landslide victory for the PDP and end of the road for the ruling APC. I even wondered how they managed to get some votes in Ejigbo,” Adesiyan said.
The former minister spoke further: “By now, I know the APC have realised that the people of Osun State cannot be deceived again. The APC government of Aregbesola has bastardised the political system in Osun State. He has no regard for anybody – the workers, the civil populace, even the traditional rulers. He was only ruling us with military hands, behaving like a General in a military regime.
“We warned him. But we knew that the end will come one day because you cannot fool all the people all the time. You can only fool some people all the time.
“I am only happy for the APC government that they dared not tamper with the people’s verdict which if they had dared would have thrown the state into turmoil. I am just happy for the APC that they allowed the people’s wish to prevail.”
Meanwhile, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun congratulated the PDP, candidate in the bye-election, Adeleke, saying with the result of the poll, “people of Osun have spoken.”
Adeleke, the PDP candidate defeated the APC flag bearer in the poll, Mudashiru Hussein, winning in nine out of 10 local government areas in the senatorial district.
The governor, in a tweet Sunday afternoon, congratulated Adeleke, saying, “Democracy has won and we respect the people’s choice.”
However, the leadership of the PDP in the state has commended citizens and residents of the state for their support in various forms towards the victory of its candidate in the bye-election.
The state chairman of the party, Soji Adagunodo, in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday, said the party recognised the fact that out of several options, people decided to give PDP the mandate to represent them in the upper chambers.
“We thank you for honouring the memories of the first executive governor of Osun State, the late senator, Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, by voting in his equally competent younger brother, Otunba Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, who is determined to serve you even better.
“We appreciate the confidence you reposed in the PDP as a party committed to good governance and development, true service and respect for human dignity in our dear state,” the statement stated.
Also, while speaking with newsmen in his Ede home on Sunday, Senator-elect, Ademola Adeleke, noted that his victory signposts a brighter future for PDP in the state.
Adeleke said all his pre-election campaign promises would be fulfilled, stressing that his N5 million per ward scholarship scheme would soon takeoff across West Senatorial District.

 

Akinremi Feyisipo, Ibadan & Bola Bamigbola, Osogbo