The Day Imole Brightens Up Wadata Plaza
The national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is regularly a beehive of activities. Thursday was however different. Even with minimal pre-arrival arrangement, Wadata was agog more than an hour before Senator Ademola Adeleke arrived the secretariat. His mission: to kick-start the 2022 Osun rescue mission.
Senior and junior officials were conversing with deep sense of empathy and brotherhood. From various offices, they were streaming to the lobby. Party men from other states at Wadata were emotionally waiting for the man of all moment, praying for divine grace.
Why are you people eager to see him? A policeman asked the staff and journalists. They chorused severally: “He was robbed in 2018. Now is the time for God to return the stolen mandate.” From the party chapel to the Media Centre, the sense of expectancy was deep and pervasive.
As Imole drove into the secretariat, several significant things happened. The shout of Imole rented the space. Before he alighted from his jeep, mammoth crown surrounded him. They were doing one thing- praying fervently for divine grace and favour. Senator Adeleke was overwhelmed as prayers were raining on the leading light of Osun governorship race.
One sign of political strength is the team that accompanied the senator. Top leaders in their constituencies, the real PDP establishment were in company of Imole. The PDP Generals of many battles identified and confirmed where they are in this historical moment. This was not lost on party men and women who received Imole from the National Organising Secretary to the Deputy Chairman North and South of the party.
From one closed-door meeting to the other, Senator Adeleke deepened his consultation, reassuring the party hierarchy of his readiness to work with all interests to lead the PDP to victory.
A very significant encounter was the closed-door meeting with the Deputy Chairman South, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja. This was significant as it marked a new rapprochement and the beginning of re-alignment to secure victory for the party in 2022.
The meeting by change between Imole and the Insurance Chief was another major highlight of the visit to the party secretariat. Dr Akin Ogunbiyi was truly emotionally touched by his meeting with the senator. Mentioning the leaders who accompanied the senator, Dr Ogunbiyi was repeating “okunrin meta”, while hugging the ever radiant and confident Ademola.
His visit also took him to the Media Centre. The media representatives asked several questions to which the senator brilliantly responded. He described the new leadership of the party as “the winning team that will return the Peoples Democratic Party to power in forthcoming elections. The Iyorchia Ayu-led leadership marks a new dawn in the struggle of Nigerians for a PDP led government that will fulfil the many aspiration of Nigerians.”
Responding to question on the state of Osun governance, Senator Adeleke states as follows: “Osun State is in bad shape on all indices. I have a four-point agenda to resuscitate the state and place it on path of real growth. What we have now is simply lack of innovation and drive to shape up the state.
“In my four-point agenda, we will prioritise industrialisation, targeting export; our social programme will focus on skill based education, sustainable healthcare, job creation agricultural scheme and youth skill and engagement projects.
On his message to the party and the state, he noted as follows: ” I want to assure Osun people that help is on the way. I expressed my appreciation to the people of Osun State for the massive support they gave me in 2018. I am back to seek a fresh mandate in our collective struggle for good governance.
“To our party men and women, we seek their mandate to lead the party to victory next year. We are ready on all accounts to provide purposeful candidacy. With God and people, we will take over Osun state next year.
By the time Senator Ademola Adeleke was leaving the secretariat, the shout of Imole still dominated the space. By all accounts, the first outing of Imole on this governorship race started on an exceptionally successful note. Going by his performance at the media chat, the senator has disproved insinuations and blackmail. His deep grasp of issues was noted by media representatives at the event.
The icing on the cake was when the leadership of the Media Centre requested the leading governorship aspirant to build a befitting centre for reporters at the PDP National Secretariat when he assumed the governorship. Senator Adeleke graciously obliged and used the moment to solicit for media support in his bid for the governorship.
“I seek your support and cooperation. We will domesticate the Freedom of Information Act; we will embrace Open Government Principles and we will support a media village and Insurance scheme for journalists,” Senator Ademola Adeleke said and rounded off the chat.
●Adeniyi is a publicist on the Senator Ademola Adeleke Media Team
