Encomium
Hon. Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye has represented Ifo Constituency II at the Ogun state House of Assembly and she has impacted many lives. But towards the end of her second term as Ogun lawmaker, she defected to Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on the platform of which she contested for the House of Representatives seat of Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency but lost to APC candidate, Ibrahim Isiaka.
However, shortly after the results of the Saturday, March 28, 2015 were announced by Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), tales started hovering that the pretty politician fainted after losing out to APC candidate, and was rushed to a nearby hospital where she later regained her consciousness the following day.
ENCOMIUM Weekly had a chat with Adeleye on this when we cornered her at an event on Sunday, April 5, at Lambe, Ogun state…
How do you feel with the result of the election?
I thank God. I won twice, with these I am stepping up. It’s God wish for me, not mine.
We learnt that you fainted when you lost to All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hon. Jimoh Isiaka. How true is that?
How can I faint because I lost an election? I have been in politics for over 20 years. I have seen people losing and I have seen people winning. I am just a pencil in the Hands of my Creator. I never envisaged I would even come this far. I was once a daily contribution collector in Ketu, Lagos. If God can put me where I am today, I should be very grateful to Him.
Whatever happens to me career-wise, He knows best and I can’t query Him. I have accepted defeat. I even congratulated the winner instantly.
I also congratulated Prince Lanre Tejuosho. He has also been elected senator. I never collapsed and I can never. I don’t know where they got the story. You don’t have to win all the time. And as far I am concerned, I am still a winner because my people have always said I had served them better than every other person that has represented the constituency. And to cry it loud, we came to this world with good and bad. One needs to experience both so that you can know how to appreciate God. So, losing now shouldn’t be the end of life.
Is it true that you were hospitalized at G and G Hospital, Akute, Ogun state?
I don’t know any hospital that bears that name, I only visited someone in a hospital called Kingsmith at Akute and people believe that’s my hospital. It’s not. My hospital is not around.
What do you have for your supporters?
I want to say a big thank you to everyone. I appreciate their effort. For the first time in my political career, people campaigned for me without my knowledge and without being paid. For the ADJ Group I had a get-together party to appreciate them. I want them to know that it is a coma, not a full stop for me because my time will come again.
What are your plans for the ICT programme?
I initiated the programme from my salary that I get as a member of the House. Unfortunately, I don’t have that anymore now. I will pause for now and continue after the swearing in. We spend an average of N500,000 to run the centre on monthly basis. My name is there already, even if we can’t do all, we will continue with one to show that we still have them in mind.
-TEMITOPE OYEDELE
