SEVEN governorship aspirants of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State have warned the party leadership to drop Ademola Adeleke, winner of the PDP governorship primary election in the state, saying that the senator’s public conduct is “not too impressive”.
Adeleke, also known as “the dancing senator”, because of his no-holds-barred dance steps at almost every social event he attends, emerged victorious in the primary election with just seven votes, polling a total of 1,569 votes to his opponent’s 1,562.
He was expected to slug it out with Isiaka Oyetola, current Chief of staff to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).at the September Governorship election
However, the seven other aspirants who had lost out to Adeleke in the primary, issued a joint statement on Thursday, insisting that “the candidacy of Senator Ademola Adeleke will further divide rather than unite the PDP in Osun State”.
“The PDP may not be able to secure the support of critical stakeholders in the state with Senator Adeleke’s candidacy, because of his not too impressive public conduct as a senator of the Federal Republic,” the statement read.
“In view of the foregoing, therefore, we the under listed aspirants call on the national leadership of our party to rescind its decision on the nomination of Senator Ademola Adeleke as our candidate for the September 22 governorship election.”
The aspirants who purportedly signed the statement include: Akin Ogunbiyi; Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, Felix Ogunwale, Adeolu Durotoye, Ayoade Adewopo, Adejare Bello and Jide Adeniji.
Bello and Adeniji were, however, not present at the press briefing.