I went back to school to study criminology after people complained I wasn’t educated — Adeleke

Senator Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State has said that he went back to school to study criminology so he could use the knowledge to lead the state.

Adeleke said his resolve to go back to school stemmed from people’s complaint that he was not educated.

Recall that Adeleke, who was also the PDP candidate in the last governorship election in the state, was enmeshed in a certificate saga in the build-up to the 2018 poll. He was sued by three members of his party over alleged certificate forgery.

The plaintiffs sought Adeleke’s disqualification from the September 22 governorship election for allegedly submitting fake certificates to get the PDP ticket.

Two PDP members, Rasheed Olabayo and Idowu Oluwaseun, had approached the court to disqualify Adeleke over the allegation that he did not possess the necessary certificates and urged the court to restrain PDP from presenting him to INEC as the candidate of the party.

But a few months later, Justice David Oladimeji, in his judgement, cleared Adeleke to contest the September 22 governorship election.

However, a fresh suit was filed by Awoosiyan Olalekan, Ojejade Thomas and Awodire Sina before Federal High Court, Osogbo, against Adeleke, PDP and INEC

Subsequently, the Court of Appeal cleared Adeleke, saying it was satisfied that he possessed the requisite educational qualification to contest the election.

While speaking on Thursday at a debate organised by the BBC Yoruba for the key governorship candidates in Osun, Adeleke said he had upgraded his education by studying criminology.

Asked by the anchor how he wanted to bring his education abroad to bear in governance if he won the election, he said in Yoruba, “It wasn’t as if I didn’t go to school before. I did. Where I studied in America, their education is flexible. I like business. I would study for some time and stop for a while to do business so that I can make money. You can then return to school to continue your study when you like. We will engage the authorities so that we can change our educational system.

“When they were shouting that I wasn’t educated, I said if that is the case and if because I love my people in Osun, I have to be determined. I went back to study. I am happy to tell Osun people that today, even with my age at 60, I am now a criminologist so that I can use my security expertise for our state.”

Earlier, Adeleke said he was concerned about retirees who had not been paid their entitlements by the state government, lamenting that they were dying from hardship.

He added, “They come to me every day, complaining that all of them are almost dead. I assured them (of better treatment) when PDP regains power (in Osun). It is a great sin not to pay workers.

“A leader must have the fear of God. With my experience in the business empire, my first priority is to make sure that the retirees are paid. We will pay them all their entitlements and they won’t suffer anymore.”

Aside from Adeleke, candidates who participated in the debate were Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, Akin Ogunbiyi of Accord Party, Yusuff Lasun of Labour Party and Omigbodun Akinrinola of the Social Democratic Party.