By Simon Utsu
Its official, the INEC returning officer has just declared Gov Ademola Adeleke, winner of yesterday’s Osun Governorship election. He won resoundingly. That is how I called it yesterday. Asides the fact that Tinubu wasn’t ready to use that election to show his 2027 colors, the Adelekes are very popular and very much on ground in Osun politics. They’ve (arguably) never lost an election. In the 3rd Republic shortly after Osun was created, their first ever civilian Governor was Isiaka Adeleke(inset- first pic- far-right), who was also a Senator until his sudden unceremonious death few years ago. A former Yoruba colleague once told me that during that 3rd Republic gubernatorial elections, other candidates were campaigning with convoys of cars. When Isiaka was ready to start his campaign, he did most of it from the comfort of helicopters. Throwing his flyers and other goodies out of choppers all around Osun. This alone led to his opponents chickening out of that election and he eventually won. In 2018, the incumbent Governor contested and ‘lost’. Some of us recollect the controversy that surrounded that defeat. While collation was ongoing and he was winning, the collating officer got a call on live TV (allegedly from former VP Osinbajo) and abruptly ended the counting. When they resumed the following day, the story and pattern changed and this culminated in APC’s Oyetola winning that election.
Osun people tasted Aregbesola for 8 years and Oyetola for 4 years; so they were in the best position to tell us through the ballot that Adeleke’s 3 and a half years have been much better. At least, salaries aren’t being owed & when paid after 9 months of relentless and painful waiting and hardship- only half of it is offered, mother’s arent using their children as collateral to collect soft loans or a couple buckets of beans and garri, armed robbers arent visiting at night with guns and machetes only to cart away pots of soup, portions of Amala & dericas of Rice. In general, under Governor Adeleke, there’s a human face to Governance which was hitherto not the case. Reason why voters were shown on video collecting money from APC agents and still voting against them even after physically assaulting some of them. Talk about adding salt to injury.
While Senator Isiaka Adeleke(of blessed memory) represents the past, incumbent and victorious Governor Ademola Adeleke is the present and obviously, David ‘Davido’ Adeleke, is the future. One doesn’t need a crystal ball to know that Davido’s very critical role since 2018, where he leverages on his global influence to go all out for his uncle during election season isn’t just endearing him to his people, but also giving him the much needed internship for a bright future in the politics of Osun state and even beyond. In the next 15-20 years, Davido will most likely govern Osun state. And its even quite likely that he’d achieve above his bloodline that ruled before him, and progress to become a Senate President, or Vice President of Nigeria or even the President. Afterall, wasn’t it a younger Bukola Saraki that learnt the ropes under his father, Olusola Saraki who was Senate Leader during the second Republic. Saraki went ahead to become Governor, kingmaker and then Senate President. We congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on his resounding victory and wish him a successful second term. We also wish Davido the very best as he eventually and inevitably transitions from entertainment to politics.
