By Ojo Peter, Ibadan
The zonal Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Southwest, Alhaja Bosede Adedibu has said that her late husband, Chief Lamidi Adedibu (The strong man of Ibadan politics), never worked against the aspiration of one of the founding fathers of the PDP, Chief Yekini Adeojo.
It will be recalled that Chief Adeojo had contested as the gubernatorial candidate of the NRC and PDP in 1991 and 1999 losing to late Kolapo Ishola and late Lam Adesina. Adeojo also attempted to secure the PDP governorship ticket in 2003 and 2007 while Senator Rasheed Ladoja and Chief Adebayo Alao Akala emerged respectively.
Orient Weekend gathered that since the return of democracy in 1999, Chief Adeojo single handedly brought PDP to Oyo State and financed the party while late Adedibu was said to be in the ANPP then. Adeojo was a one-time Deputy National Chairman of the Party in the South before he resigned to contest the primary election.
Speaking at FRESH FM Politics Circuit anchored by Isaac Brown on Saturday, Mrs. Adedibu who is the matriarch of Adedibu dynasty noted that her late husband did everything humanly possible to support the ambition of Adeojo but said the people of Ibadan were the major stumbling blocks for the realization of his ambition.
She, however, commended the Executive Chairman of Ido Local Government, Hon Sheriff Adeojo for his purposeful and visionary leadership right from his stint as the caretaker Chairman of Omi/Apata LCDA before his election to the main council.
Speaking on the matter, another chieftain of the PDP who spoke with Orient Weekend but didn’t want his name in print affirmed the position of Chief Mrs Adedibu. The source said: “Baba Adeojo was the Governor PDP and Oyo State never had not because he wasn’t popular but the Ibadan elites ganged up against him.”
The Ibadan elites became jealous and threatened by the influence of our political leader, Chief Adeojo. The elites believed that you can’t be a billionaire and at the same time attain political power in Oyo State. How much did Kolapo Ishola and Lam Adesina had before they were elected as governors? The perception from the quarters is that Adeojo would become uncontrollable if he got the governorship coupled with his military background”, the source concluded.