Right now, the biggest gist within Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the popular businessman and the C.E.O of Pacific Holdings Limited, Dr. Deji Adeleke’s great influence in the party, though nobody will ever think of him to be this active in politics, due to his disposition to it in the past. For instance, he was said to have been contacted to come run for the governorship race on many occasions and has severally turned down the offer.
But the news right now is that Deji Adeleke is firmly in control of Osun PDP. So powerful is Deji Adeleke now that, he is among those who dictate who gets what as far as Osun PDP is concerned. A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Albert Adeogun, the law-maker representing Ife Federal constituency who has been named as Demola Adeleke’s running mate ahead of the coming election was said to have been nominated by him.
His latest interest in politics, according to those who should know, is noting but to give his younger brother Demola Adeleke the necessary support in order to achieve his political ambition of ruling the state as governor. While this development may be a big surprise to many who know Deji Adeleke more of a businessman however, those who know him very well are fully aware of the fact that he has been involved in politics from the background all along. He was a major financier of his late brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke’s governoship campaigns in 1993.
Many still remember the colourful and powerful campaigns put up by ‘Serubawon’ as Isiaka Adeleke was referred to his lifetime. He eventually won the election to become the first Executive Governor of the state and later a two-term senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under PDP between 2007-2011 and under APC in 2015 until he died in 2016.
This same feat is about to be repeated by the Adelekes as Deji and Demola are ready to keep their family’s political dynasty afloat and their brother’s political machinery and memory alive. Politics runs in the blood of the Adelekes; their family name is an household in Osun and an institution in Ede land. Their father, Late Senator Raji Ayoola Adeleke, the Balogun of Ede land was a great politician and senator of the second republic and a political leader of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), working alongside the premier of Western Nigeria then, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Another thing that is always working for the Adelekes is that they are highly humorous, down-to-earth, hardworking and kind; Deji Adeleke is a great philanthropist and so also was is late brother, Isiaka Adeleke. They are well loved and respected in Ede and Osun state generally.
But how did Deji Adeleke suddenly becomes this powerful in PDP? This of course is unconnected with fact that he is rich and influential (Deji is a multi billionaire and close to who is who in Nigeria; his best friends are Alhaji Alico Dangote, Femi Otedola and co) and has the financial capability as PDP is in deer need of such person to be able to execute an election as huge as that of governoship. In fact, an unconfirmed report has it that Deji Adeleke had already given a sum of 400 million naira to the party at the Federal level for mobilisation.
That is aside the several millions of naira expended on the execution of the primary election where his brother emerged as the party’s candidate for the Sep. 22 guber poll, beating is close rival in the contest Akin Ogunbiyi with seven votes (Adeleke scored 1,569 against Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi’s1562 votes). All the delegates loyal to Demola Adeleke stormed GMT Event Centre venue of the July 21st PDP primaries in a uniformed Ankara. Deji Adeleke is the 61 years old billionaire, business magnate and the founder of Adeleke University, Ede. He is the father of the Nigerian hip-hop super star, David Adeleke popularly known as ;Davido’.
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