The man, Adeleke

Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke was a two-time Nigerian senator who represented the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State from 2007 to 2011 and was elected again under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015. He became a member of the Nigerian Senate in 2007.

He recontested in April 2011 on the  platform of PDP and came second second with 77,090 votes. The winner was Mudasiru Oyetunde Hussein of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with 121,971 votes.

The late  Adeleke was born on January 15,  1955, to the family of Senator Ayoola Adeleke and Esther Adeleke.  He was born in Enugu and spent his early years in the city until the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War. He started his primary education at Christ Church School, Enugu before moving to Ibadan. He completed his secondary education at Ogbomoso Grammar School in Oyo State.

Adeleke holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, and a master’s degree in Public Administration. He was Chairman, Governing Council, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council,University of Calabar.

His political career

During the  Third Republic, Adeleke ran for governor of the newly created Osun State which was carved out from Oyo State. He was a member of the Social Decmocratic Party (SDP), the dominant party in the state, but he was not initially favored to win. The front runner was a lawyer, Oladipo Oladosu, but after a close primary in which Adeleke came second, Adeleke was able to win a runoff.  He was then elected the first civilian governor of the state in 1992.

Notable decisions made by Adeleke was the establishment of a polytechnic at Iree, a college of technology at Esa-Oke and the completion of the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation.

In 1994, after the dissolution of the republic, Adeleke pitched his tent with the opposition group, Afenifere, but later switched to  Democratic Party of Nigeria, a new political party with support from close associates of  the late Sani Abacha.

 In 2007, Adeleke was elected senator for Osun West. His main competitor was Mudasiru Oyetunde Hussein, who stood for the Action Congress.

The late Adeleke was appointed into the committees on Upstream Petroleum Resources, Integration and Cooperation, Housing and Air Force.

In March 2008, he instituted a scholarship award for about 100 indigent students in tertiary institutions across the country.

In July 2009, as chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Adeleke lauded the job of the Independent National Electoral Commission, saying “so far INEC has performed creditably well.”

 He has supported the rights of Nigerians living abroad to vote in Nigerian elections.

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