Dare Babalola
A Chieftain of the Osun State People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ibukun Fadipe, has dismissed claims that Governor Ademola Adeleke needs the help of President Bola Tinubu to be reelected.
Fadipe, who is the chairman of the State Universal Education Board, disclosed that instead, it was the president who pleaded with Governor Adeleke for support ahead of his reelection bid.
Stating why the governor agreed to work with Tinubu for his reelection bid, the partyman said Adeleke is interested in the refund of the amount his administration had spent on constructing federal roads in the state back to Osun’s purse.
Fadipe, while speaking on a radio programme said the governor will use the money to build other deplorable federal roads in the state and embark on other projects that will improve the status of Osun State.
He said the pleadings and entreaties by some emissaries the President sent to the governor overwhelmed Adeleke into accepting Tinubu’s offer.
According to him, President Tinubu sent an independent team to Osun to find out which political party is popular before discovering that the PDP is the party to beat and so needed Adeleke’s backing.
Fadipe alleged further that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, had failed to represent the state very well at the federal level, hence the need for the governor to enter into a political deal with the President.
The party stalwart noted that Adeleke’s intention was not to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, maintaining that he considered Tinubu’s endorsement in the interest of the development of Osun.
