Isiaka Adeleke joins Osun gov race

Isiaka Adeleke joins Osun gov race

A former  governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka  Adeleke,  has joined  the race for the August 9 governorship election in the state.

This was contained in a statement in Osogbo on Sunday, by a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Mr. Femi Adefila.

Although there have been speculations in the past weeks that Adeleke, who hailed from Ede, would join the race,  the declaration is seen by many as a game-changer in the political calculation in the forthcoming election.

Adeleke, who is a former senator, is joining the governorship  race on the platform of the PDP less than a month to the primary of the party. The PDP primary has been scheduled to hold on April 5.

The 59-year-old former chairman of the Nigerian Export Promotions Council described Osun as a state with vast human and material potential “which could  rapidly develop with focused  and compassionate leadership.”

He promised to bring government into an harmonious relationship with community leaders, workers, religious leaders, youths, students organisations,trade unions and other stakeholders.

The statement reads, “Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke met with community leaders in his home town, Ede, on Sunday and declared that he decided to join the race to serve as governor  of the state, after deep reflections on the present situation of the state and the need to restore the glorious vision of the state’s founding fathers.

However, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Mr. Bola Ajao, when contacted, said that the leadership of the party was not aware of Adeleke’s intention.

The party had said in a statement early in the year that the three governorship aspirants of the party were Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi and Wole  Oke.

Ajao said, “ We are not aware that Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke has joined the governorship race. We are hearing the rumour like everybody. Those who signified their intention to contest are three.

“As far as we are concerned, Alhaji Adeleke has not been a financial member of the PDP in the state in the past two years.”