An aide to Governor Rauf Aregbesola who was attacked at the burial of late Senator Isiaka Adeleke on Monday, Hon Idiat Babalola, on Tuesday said her attackers picked on her simply over unfounded rumours that she wants to be Deputy Governor after the current tenure of the governor.
 

 
Babalola, who was attacked shortly after arriving the venue of the burial, said she sensed trouble when some of the hoodlums started to make utterances which suggested that her rumoured deputy governorship ambition was to checkmate the governorship ambition of the late Senator, who had openly declared his intention to succeed Governor Aregbesola.
Explaining further, Babalola, who served in the last cabinet as Special Adviser to the Governor on Federal Matters, said her attackers could not have been acting over anything against Governor Aregbesola but simply on the local politics of Ede, where she also hails from just as the late Senator Adeleke.
“I am a proud daughter of Ede and Uncle Isiaka has been a mentor and we never had any disagreement till the news of his death was broken to me while in Lagos on Sunday morning. I was heartbroken and immediately cut all my other engagements and came down to Ede from Lagos.
“We worked together with Uncle for the re-election of Governor Aregbesola in 2014 and for his own election to the Senate in 2015.
“Those who masterminded the attacks on me are people with poor understanding of the relationship between us and who act based on their own political permutations only,” Babalola said.
She explained that she was at the burial in company with her father, Chief SOB Babalola, a prominent industrialist who is also a friend to the later father of now late Senator Adeleke.
“Not long after we sat down for the prayers, I sensed some hoodlums saying some things like I wanting to be deputy governor while Uncle (Senator Adeleke) has declared his ambition to be governor from the same Ede. I heard them talking about the new caretaker committee members being more of my loyalists than those of Senator Adeleke. And before we knew it, they grew more daring and unruly and brought down the canopy on the dignitaries present. It was the most unruly and irresponsible act I have seen in our land in history,” Babalola said
She said it was unfortunate that the unruly behaviors of the miscreants robbed a prominent son of Ede, the state burial that he deserved and which state government planned for him.
“That cannot be the best way to honour the memory of Uncle Adeleke. Senator Adeleke was a man of his people; a lover of peace and a political associate of Governor Aregbesola. Senator Adeleke could not have countenanced such misconduct in his lifetime,” she added.
She said there is no reason for the people of Ede, in spite of their political differences, to have any misgiving against Aregbesola saying that the city has benefitted immensely under the Aregbesola administration. She said with Ede being a beneficiary of the some of the best schools, roads, industrialization, youth employment and others, the city owes the administration appreciation.
Babalola expressed appreciation to Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, whom she said dropped the honour of being a governor to practically engage the hoodlums not to carry out their more dastardly plots.

 The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola joined his counterparts in the Federation to celebrate this year’s World Malaria Day in Ejigbo Local Government yesterday (25th of April, 2017).
 

This was contained in a press release issued by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Akinyinka Oluseyi Esho.
Dr. Akinyinka Esho enjoined all nursing mothers and pregnant women to join the state Government in celebrating this year World Malaria Day.

The government of Osun has blamed political opportunists for the attack on one for its officials, Idiat Babalola, on Monday at the funeral rites of late Isiaka Adeleke in Ede.
 

 
The spokesperson for the government, Semiu Okanlawon said that the attack was an ugly way of honouring the memories of the personality of the late Mr. Adeleke, who was the first civilian governor of Osun State.
Ms. Babalola who was seated amongst some dignitaries, including the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, at Mr. Adeleke’s burial, was chased out by hoodlums, who accused her of betraying the late senator.
Mr. Adeleke was reported to be nursing a governorship ambition ahead of the election next year, while at the same time, Ms. Babalola was said to have been picked as a running mate to whoever emerges the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
The protesters major grouse against her, it was gathered, was that she was not supporting Mr. Adeleke’s ambition to return to the government house, despite being an indigene of Ede.
The mob also raised allegations that the government of Aregbesola had a hand in the death of the senator, even though the governor was away in China and there is no evidence yet that the lawmaker was killed.
“Some hoodlums looking for every available thing to hold on to only took advantage of the tension created by the death of Adeleke in the minds of his supporters,” Mr. Okanlawon said.
“What they should have done is to await the outcome of the autopsy, that would guide their actions.”

The result of an autopsy conducted by the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital has not been made public.
Mr. Okanlawon said the death of the senator was a collective loss to the people of Osun State and the Ede community.
He said those who took the laws into their hands to launch the attack against Ms. Babalola were hasty and acted based on unverified information.
It was, however, gathered that Ms. Babalola is also a native of Ede, where Mr. Adeleke hails from, and her family and that of the Adekele’s have close ties.
Her father, S.O. Babalola, was also at the funeral while she was being attacked by the irate supporters.
it was also learnt that the government team, led by the deputy governor, was on its way to the burial but had to turn back on learning about the attack.
Mr. Okanlawon, however, declined comments when asked if the government would take any action against those involved in the attack.

The First Executive Governor of the State of Osun, and acting Senator Isiaka Adeleke who died yesterday has been laid to rest in his country home, Ede, Osun state.

 
Although according to Muslim rites he should have been buried yesterday but his body was sent to the LAUTECH teaching hospital for an autopsy.
A NAN correspondent, who was at the residence of the deceased on Monday, said the grave where he would be buried had been prepared.
The first civilian governor of Osun is to be buried near his living room within the premises.
The agency said there was a heavy presence of security personnel at the residence of the deceased.
Fimihan Adeoye, the state commissioner of police, was also at the residence to ensure adequate security.

I received with deep shock but submission to the will of Allah (SWT) the news of the death of Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke early this morning. He was 62 years. Senator Adeleke was the first civilian governor of the State of Osun elected on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the aborted Third Republic. He was in office between January 1992 and November 1993.

 
At the return of civil democratic rule, he was elected as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to represent Osun West in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 2007 to 2011. Senator Adeleke came from the illustrious Adeleke family of Ede. His father, Senator Ayoola Adeleke, was a progressive politician, an ally of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and a staunch member of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), under which banner he was elected to the Nigerian Senate in the Second Republic.
It is not surprising therefore that Senator Adeleke returned to the progressives fold in 2014 when he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). He returned to the Senate in 2015, having contested the Osun West Senatorial seat in the general election and won as the candidate of the APC.
Senator Adeleke became the first civilian governor of Osun at the age of 37, barely a year after the creation of the state, at a period he was most energetic. He therefore laboured hard, giving his best, to lay a good foundation for the then young state, the impact of which we still feel today, even though he was in office for less than two years.
He was a charismatic politician and political leader with panache, passion and fervour that traversed the political spectrum, appealing to all social strata. He was at home with the grassroots as he was with the elite.
Senator Adeleke was a very generous man who gave his all to the needy, friends and constituents, without favour to ethnicity, religion and background. Thousands benefitted from his scholarship scheme and social empowerment programmes.
He was a loyal party member and a team player who was determined to help realise the progressive agenda of the party, through legislation, not just in the whole country but in the State of Osun and Osun West Senatorial District as well.
Senator Adeleke was a personal friend who was committed to my re-election with his entire being. He was unflinching in his support and commitment, even when the security agencies laid a siege to his residence on the eve of the August 9, 2014 governorship election.
His death is very painful and a blow to us all. He is leaving a void in us, the Senate of the Federal Republic, Osun politics and his community in Ede that will be hard to fill. We give thanks to the Almighty God for the fruitful and exemplary life that Senator Adeleke lived. All mortal come from him and to him shall they return.
On behalf of the government, the good people of Osun and my family, I offer sincere condolences to his wife and children, the Adeleke Family of Ede, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the APC national and in the State of Osun, the good people of Ede and the progressives family at large.
May God grant him eternal repose and Aljanna Fidaus.

The Government of Osun on Sunday said it is still in shock over the sudden death of the first Civilian Governor of the state, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke.
 

 
The Government described as a nightmare, the news of the death of one of the illustrious sons of the state.
In a short statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the government said the death of Senator Adeleke is hard to accept.
“The sad news of the death of the first civilian governor of our state, Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, has struck us like a thunderbolt. Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is far away in China on state assignment is still speechless and in mourning.
“While the government awaits the reports of the autopsy which is being conducted, we can only calm our people to take this huge and incalculable loss with equanimity.
“Alhaji Adeleke, no doubt, has served our dear state well. First as its Civilian Governor and currently as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where he has provided adequate representation for the people of his senatorial district and the state. He was a politician with towering dossier.
“We find this loss inexplicable but we are restrained by the fact that we cannot query the verdicts of our Creator, the Almighty.
“We commiserate with the good people of Osun over this sad loss. We are still in shock,” the statement added.

President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with Osun State Government and members of the National Assembly on the passing away of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke on Sunday.
 

 
President Buhari sent his condolences to the family and friends of the “gentle and kind-hearted former Governor of Osun State who had passionately and relentlessly championed the cause of the less privileged and most vulnerable in Nigeria.
“The President believes the sudden loss of the legislator will create a gap in the hallowed red chamber as Adeleke had always epitomised unbridled patriotism, maturity and experience, especially with his recent interest in the protection of whistleblowers.
“President Buhari affirms that Adeleke’s contribution to his state, as first elected governor, and the country will always be remembered by posterity.

“He prays that the Almighty God will grant the soul of the departed eternal rest, and comfort the family,” a statement by Femi Adesina said on Sunday.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has expressed shock over the death of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke, likening it to “rainstorm at the height of dry season.’’

Ekweremadu, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu on Sunday, said the lawmaker’s death was really a sad development, adding that the deceased was a brother and friend.

“He was cosmopolitan in nature and started his education in Enugu, my State.

“This nature showed in his broadminded approach to debates and national issues, which stood him out as a statesman and pan-Nigerian.

“With him as Chairman of Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I found a willing partner, as Chairman of Senate Committee on Review of 1999 Constitution in the 6 Senate.

“We worked in our collective effort to better the nation’s electoral system.

“He will be remembered for the gains of those reforms as witnessed in the 2011 and 2015 general elections,’’ he said.

Ekweremadu, who described the deceased as a perfect gentleman and patriot, noted that the incident was a grave loss, not only to the Senate and people of Osun State, but the entire nation.

He condoled with the family of the late senator as well as the government and people of Osun.

He also prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed.

Adeleke died on Sunday at 62, after a brief illness, while observing in his constituency, the National Assembly’s Easter break.