Stop Using Governor Ademola Adeleke’s Name to Justify Your Defection – A Word for Hon. Oluwole Oke.

Stop Using Governor Ademola Adeleke’s Name to Justify Your Defection – A Word for Hon. Oluwole Oke.

Modakeke, June 23, 2025.

My attention has been drawn to a recent statement credited to Hon. Oluwole Oke, Member of the House of Representatives representing Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency, in which he advised the Governor of Osun State, His Excellency Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, to stop what he termed “blackmailing” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the immediate past governor of Osun State, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, regarding the seized local government allocations due to the sacked Yes/No Chairmen and Councillors.

It is both disappointing and disheartening that such a statement emanated from a fifth-term federal legislator whose political rise has been facilitated exclusively by the People's Democratic Party (PDP) for over two decades. Been offered the party tickets six consecutive terms under the PDP and won 5 times, which are not just rare. It is a privilege. It is, therefore, a mark of ingratitude and desperation for Hon. Oke to attempt to rewrite history by aligning himself with the All Progressives Congress (APC) while dragging the name of Governor Adeleke into the justification of his political somersault.

It is important to remind Hon. Oke that he was a sitting lawmaker in 2022 when the Electoral Act was amended to mandate a 360-day notice for all elections in Nigeria. This reform invalidated the hurried 60-day election notice used by the previous APC government in Osun, which the Federal High Court rightly nullified, and the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure reaffirmed on Monday, June 13, 2025. One would expect a lawmaker with a background in tax law to have a firmer grasp of such a judicial development.

The appellate court, in its wisdom, noted the illegality of the YES/NO Chairmen and further observed that the APC, being the 3rd Appellant in the matter, went to sleep for two years. Hon. Oke’s reference to this settled judicial matter as a "blackmail" by Governor Adeleke is not only mischievous but unstatesmanlike. If Hon. Oke must make his defection into the APC more palatable. He should do so without dragging the name of Governor Adeleke or seeking validation through a man whose leadership and democratic ideals remain widely respected.

The truth remains that Hon. Oke’s defection is not a sudden event but the outcome of years of over-pampering by PDP leadership in Osun State and his constituency. Many view his departure as a product of selfish ambition and entitlement. In fact, the decision to grant him six uninterrupted party tickets and won 5 times as a house of Representatives member may have inadvertently fostered a mindset of political monopoly and arrogance.

This unfortunate development raises a pertinent concern about the long-term implications of extended tenures in public office. When a single individual is allowed to dominate a constituency for decades, it breeds detachment, complacency, and, ultimately, defection for self-preservation rather than public service. Hon. Oke has become a clear example of what happens when internal party discipline and strategic renewal are ignored.

To protect the sanctity of our democratic institutions and prevent future occurrences of similar political betrayal, it is imperative that political parties adopt internal term limits, ideally two or three terms, for legislative positions. This is not just a policy consideration but a necessary mechanism for maintaining trust, ensuring dynamism, and promoting fresh leadership within the system.

In conclusion, Hon. Wole Oke’s recent antics should serve as a warning and a case study. Let him pursue his political ambitions without exploiting the image of Governor Ademola Adeleke, whose commitment to justice, transparency, and constitutional order remains unquestioned.

Signed:

Apesin Abiodun Adegoke

PDP Chieftain & Social Commentator.

Modakeke, Osun State.

abegoke19@gmail.com

22/06/2025