Why I was absent for Osun Debate.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ademola Adeleke, has explained why he was absent at the 2018 Osun State governorship debate which held in Osogbo, the state capital on Sunday.

Adeleke’s seat was empty throughout the two-hour debate.

He said he did not refuse to show up as widely believed, but was “held up by the electorate in the places where he had gone to campaign on Sunday.”

Adeleke was one of the five candidates picked and invited for the debate which featured the All Progressive Congress candidate, Gboyega Oyetola; ADP candidate, Moshood Adeoti, ADC candidate, Fatai Akinbade and SDP candidate, Iyiola Omisore.



Speaking to newsmen on the phone on Sunday nght, the publicity director of the Adeleke campaign organisation, Olawale Rasheed, said while they were on their way to Osogbo, a community where they had gone to campaign blocked the highway.

He said they (community) had been marginalised all these years and that there had not been developments in their area.

“To our surprise, while we tried to skip the small towns and villages as we made efforts to meet up, they started trooping on the road; As I am talking to you now, we are just entering Osogbo,” Rasheed explained.

“We did the same thing at Ikirun, trying to avoid some villages, then we had a backlash from the voters, they insisted that they wanted to hear the man (Adeleke) personally speak to them.

“The last village that we attended at Ife East, they were complaining that they had had no light for years, they trooped to the road and blocked our path and this was around 7.30 p.m.



“What we did was to send a message to a correspondent of Channels, and later I sent a message to Seun Okinbaloye (Channels presenter). We are just entering Osogbo now as I speak to you.

“It is not that we are intent on not attending, no. We need to reach the voters and need their votes. And when they block the road and they say you can’t go, what do you do?”

He added that Adeleke made efforts to reach the people, “given the fact that reaching the people was fundamental in defeating an incumbent government.”

http://gimmehear.com/senator-adeleke-why-i-was-absent-for-the-debate/

Issokay

Ride on Bros, Nothing do you !!

politicians and excuses....they always think the public dont have common sense they block road...if you want to be some where you make plans to be there....just simply say u prioritise campaigning to attending debate.

Dey deceive urself there

If na dancing competition now, na em go first show

All hail the dancing senator.

Michael jackson wants to be governor

Whether he had attended or not, he is still going to lose the election.

Press Statement

How Rural Voters Stalled Participation at Debate

Following the #OsunDebate held on Sunday and aired by the Channels Television, we find it necessary to address members of the public on reasons for the unavoidable non-participation of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

It is important to state from the onset that Senator Adeleke was indeed prepared to attend the debate.The plan was to proceed to Osogbo immediately after his campaign tour of Ijesha and Ile Ife zones. We communicated as much to the organisers of the debate.

However, from one village to the other, rural voters blocked the campaign train, insisting the candidate must address them. From Ilesa zone to Ile Ife zone, the rural visitation dragged late into the night. It would have been politically suicidal to ignore voters who tropped to the road, insisting the candidate must address them.

We communicated regularly with the organisers on the above development while the campaign train was streamed live on social media. Senator Adeleke and the campaign team eventually reached Osogbo around 11pm.

The campaign schedule has been very tight in addition to the frequent attacks by opposition thugs. We find it neccesary to satisfy both urban and rural voters as we are all stakeholders in the electoral process.

Senator Adeleke is today moving to Iwo zone in a voters' mobilisation that is unprecedented in Osun's political history.

We reassure the people of Osun state that the PDP candidate is ever open and willing to market his six point agenda.This he has been been doing and will continue to do unti the day of election.

Signed

Olawale Rasheed ,
Director of Media and Publicity ,
Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation.

If it was a dancing competition, our Ajobiewe senator would find a way not to miss the event. He should simply cover his face in shame and stop talking nonsense. He has never contributed to debate on the floor of the senate since he was elected and now, he couldn't show up for debate. Says a lot about his competency.

How many people in Osun state have televisions?

Politians and lies.
This guy knows how to dodge exams

Dumb excuse. You knew of this debate weeks ago.

Adedancer no get result that's why

Ogberan Adeleke na which village dem marginalize for Osun o?? Iro lo ma pa e. Omo to ban pa Iro a ja Le...... This is anoda reason why I won't cast my vote for u.Haba so cos of d community u come Sidon wit dem dey take palmwine and Bush meat abi Na only u dem see block road Abeg make I no ask all d questions finish. Make I allow others too ask them own

This is serious. They don't even know how to lie. This must be the same excuse he gave in1981 for his absence at exam centre.

rayblast:
Ogberan Adeleke na which village dem marginalize for Osun o?? Iro lo ma pa e. Omo to ban pa Iro a ja Le...... This is anoda reason why I won't cast my vote for u.Haba so cos of d community u come Sidon wit dem dey take palmwine and Bush meat abi Na only u dem see block road Abeg make I no ask all d questions finish. Make I allow others too ask them own

My brother, he said the truth. some places will still be marginalised no matter the good governance. and those people are the ones he still needs to win the election

BiafranBushBoy:
How many people in Osun state have televisions?

You really think everyone took poverty bath when they were born like you do at Biafra land?

sehin79:
politicians and excuses....they always think the public dont have common sense they block road...if you want to be some where you make plans to be there....just simply say u prioritise campaigning to attending debate.

kill you sef,

rayblast:
Ogberan Adeleke na which village dem marginalize for Osun o?? Iro lo ma pa e. Omo to ban pa Iro a ja Le...... This is anoda reason why I won't cast my vote for u.Haba so cos of d community u come Sidon wit dem dey take palmwine and Bush meat abi Na only u dem see block road Abeg make I no ask all d questions finish. Make I allow others too ask them own

I even watch the video live on facebook yesterday in the ongoing governorship campaign in ife south local government.

Drakkernoir:
Dey deceive urself there
If na dancing competition now, na em go first show

say something sensible for once in your life

The question we should ask Adeleke is what will he contribute as a member of National Council of state meeting if elected as Governor? Osun state at the brink of entering one chance vehicle

OK. bt winners dont attend debates...

Lol, same way the electorates blocked you from writing all your o level exams

Johnnyessence:
Press Statement

How Rural Voters Stalled Participation at Debate

Following the #OsunDebate held on Sunday and aired by the Channels Television, we find it necessary to address members of the public on reasons for the unavoidable non-participation of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

It is important to state from the onset that Senator Adeleke was indeed prepared to attend the debate.The plan was to proceed to Osogbo immediately after his campaign tour of Ijesha and Ile Ife zones. We communicated as much to the organisers of the debate.

However, from one village to the other, rural voters blocked the campaign train, insisting the candidate must address them. From Ilesa zone to Ile Ife zone, the rural visitation dragged late into the night. It would have been politically suicidal to ignore voters who tropped to the road, insisting the candidate must address them.

We communicated regularly with the organisers on the above development while the campaign train was streamed live on social media. Senator Adeleke and the campaign team eventually reached Osogbo around 11pm.

The campaign schedule has been very tight in addition to the frequent attacks by opposition thugs. We find it neccesary to satisfy both urban and rural voters as we are all stakeholders in the electoral process.

Senator Adeleke is today moving to Iwo zone in a voters' mobilisation that is unprecedented in Osun's political history.

We reassure the people of Osun state that the PDP candidate is ever open and willing to market his six point agenda.This he has been been doing and will continue to do unti the day of election.

Signed

Olawale Rasheed ,
Director of Media and Publicity ,
Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation.

He couldn't sit for a debate despite ample time given. No problem. Its not by force. You make your choices. Ensure you make yourself available in 2023.

Any politician who fails to show up for political debates does not deserve the votes of the people.

We have seen things like this before and we waived it aside as nothing which later turned out to be our greatest undoing. Political office seekers need to debate lets hear them talk about their plans for the people and their level of exposure.

Some of them running away have no education, they cannot speak in large audience, they are not articulate in their speech, worse of they cannot be engaged on the spur of the moment.

We say NO to such people in all facets of our politics.

t

Nothing do you sir. Your excuse is plausible.

Here, we have a sitting president who has consistently refused to honour debate invites, not even presidential chats unscripted. He is now plotting to send his VP to represent him in 2019 presidential debate with no excuses given at all.

seunmsg:
If it was a dancing competition, our Ajobiewe senator would find a way not to miss the event. He should simply cover his face in shame and stop talking nonsense. He has never contributed to debate on the floor of the senate since he was elected and now, he couldn't show up for debate. Says a lot about his competency.

You are right,no wonder Buhari is incompetent,he ran away from debate in 2015 too.