AGAINST the backdrop of September 22 governorship poll in Osun, the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday charged the leaders and members of the party on the need to embrace unity and work assiduously with a view to achieving electoral victory during the exercise.
He maintained that it was incumbent on all stakeholders to place masses’ interest above personal consideration, pointing out that “Osun people are earnestly waiting on the PDP to deliver them from oppression and poverty. We cannot afford to disappoint them”.
Addressing a press conference in Ede, Osun State, his country home, Adeleke who described as mischievous and deceptive those questioning his attendance of Ede Muslim Grammar School declared that “let the fact sink that I was a very popular student of the school and strong member of the alumni association”.
While explaining that presentation of a school leaving certificate was not required before he gained entry into a university in the United States shortly after finishing his secondary school education in 1981, the lawmaker expressed his “gratitude to the judiciary for upholding the truth despite pressure”, contending that “it is now clear and proven that I did not forge any certificate or testimonial”.
According to him, “now that legal pronouncement has been made, now that the party internal mechanism has been exhausted, it is time for all PDP members and leaders to unite and work for victory in September. The electoral contest can be bitter and rancorous. After protests and grievances will come reconciliation and brotherhood. It is time to place the masses’ interest above personal consideration”.
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Commenting on the need to collaborate with the aggrieved gubernatorial contenders on the platform of the party, Adeleke posited that efforts were still ongoing to ensure total reconciliation, saying ‘I have called all of them, including Dr Akin Ogunbiyi and a meeting convened by the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus was held at the legacy house in Abuja. But, reconciliation is ongoing and we would continue until we achieve total unity and cohesion among all”.
He, however, affirmed that he was fully prepared to deliver good governance if elected into office come September, stressing that “what Osun people desperately desire now is the eradication of poverty, workers’ welfare, tackling of crippling debt, job creation and among others”.
“Since I got the privilege of your mandate to be elected as senator, I have worked assiduously and tirelessly to deliver to my constituents, within 12 months, I have promoted two bills and moved a motion of national importance on the floor of the red chambers, my motion for community policing is receiving widespread acceptance and debates nationwide”, Adeleke remarked.
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