Governor of Oyo State, ’Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, eulogised the late National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo Oluwatukesi, describing him as a stabiliser, who worked hard for the progress of the party at the state and the national levels.

Governor Makinde stated this at the Commendation Service organised in honour of the late politician, held at the frontage of the Presidential Lodge, Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.

He stated that the late Adagunodo, who passed away in May, aged 62, contributed immensely to the growth of the PDP in Osun State, the South-West and nationally and that he deserved the honour being done to him.

The governor added that he would immortalise Adagunodo by building a PDP South-West Zonal Office that will be named Honourable Soji Adagunodo House and handed over to the party in his remembrance.

At the service attended by top party chieftains including Acting National Chairman of PDP, Ilya Umar Damagum, members of the National Working Committee, former governors and deputy governors, among others, Governor Makinde said: “We are here to honour my friend and our brother, the former National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the PDP, Hon. Soji Clement Adagunodo.

“So, let me pray that God will honour all of you who are here to honour our departed brother.

“Hon Adagunodo was a stabiliser. There are two things I will reveal today. Before the current governor of Osun State became a Senator, Adagunodo was the state chairman of the PDP and when Senator Adeleke was running for Senate, he was in APC. But when they denied him the ticket, he came to the PDP.

“Then, I was not a major player, but we still talked, and I advised the Osun PDP to use Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi as candidate because they have been in the party, but Adagunodo did his analysis.

“He said, look, we want to win this election for the PDP and the person that can win the election at that particular time, because of the sympathy for the family, having lost a brother, was Ademola Adeleke.

“He went ahead as the Chairman of the party and orchestrated the emergence of Governor Adeleke as the standard-bearer of the PDP. And, to the glory of God, they won the election.

“So, when people talk, I always ask them to go to the foundation. If there is no yesterday, there may not be today and tomorrow may be quite difficult.

“In 2018, I was to run for the governorship of Oyo State. We had challenges and my emergence as candidate was with rancour, as different groups were fighting one another. Adagunodo was the chairman of the PDP in Osun State, but his people were always here.

“Our party chairman in Oyo then was Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha and they were all working towards the stabilisation agenda of Hon. Adagunodo, with whom they had several meetings in the middle of the night. What was he trying to do? He was trying to get my own chairman here to accept me as the candidate of the PDP and work for PDP.

“He did all of that work not because he came from Oyo State but because of his love for the PDP in the South-West and, by extension, nationally. He was able to convince them, and they supported me in 2018 while going into 2019 election and we won.

"For my re-election, he was already sick and even with that, he would come to my house, arrange the PDP in the South-West to be with us and go to everywhere with us. What more will you want in a committed leader? What can we do? If God decides on what he wants to do, we cannot fight him. But one thing I am bold to say here is that this is a celebration of life.

“Yes, he left us at a very young age but left with strings of achievements. He was a member of the Osun State House of Assembly, State Chairman of PDP, National Vice Chairman of a major party in Nigeria, Chairman of the major zone of a major party in Nigeria. So, we should celebrate him and his impact on the political terrain of Osun State, the entire South-West and Nigeria.”

Governor Makinde condoled with the family of the late former lawmaker, stating that Adagunodo lived a life of integrity, even as he urged his children to toe the same path.

Makinde, who added that the late politician was bold, courageous and that he led a life of integrity that people could attest to, said: "For me, the only thing I can do is to immortalise my friend, my brother and my ally.

“So, I will donate a South-West regional office to the PDP. I will buy the land in a conspicuous place within Ibadan metropolis. I will build it and name it Honourable Olasoji Adagunodo House and we will hand it over to the PDP.

“Let me once again thank you for coming to honour our brother, our colleague and a shining example of integrity within the murky waters of politics in South-West and Nigeria.”

In their remarks, former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; PDP Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum; PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; Acting National Vice Chairman, PDP South-West, Alhaji Rahman Owokoniran and the Oyo State PDP chairman, Hon. Dayo Ogungbenro, extolled the virtues of the deceased former lawmaker.

Describing him as a dedicated and committed party man, who worked hard to unite the PDP in the South-West zone, the PDP leaders severally referenced Adagunodo’s contributions to the progress of the party.

In his sermon, former Chairman, Pilgrims Welfare Board (Christian Wing), Bishop Ademola Moradeyo, described Adagunodo, whom he said he had known for the last four decades, as a man with a good heart.

•PHOTO: From right; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Acting National Chairman, People's Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Damagum; widow, Deaconess Adeyinka Adagunodo Oluwatukesi; the children, Olasoji jnr and Oluwafeyijimi during the Commendation Service of the Late National Vice Chairman, PDP, South West Zone, Hon Olasoji Adagunodo Oluwatukesi, held at the Frontage of Presidential Lodge, Government House, Ibadan. Oyo Gov's Media Unit.

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