Osun State Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke, has dismissed criticism of his frequent dancing, insisting that the hobby has never interfered with his responsibilities as governor.
Adeleke made the remarks during the Arise Town Hall for candidates contesting the Osun State governorship election, scheduled for Saturday.
Responding to questions about whether his public displays of dancing had affected his administration, the governor said he was capable of combining recreation with serious official duties.
“We are jolly good fellows and I will tell you, nobody can stop me from dancing. As I’m dancing, I’m working,” Adeleke said.
He explained that his public persona should not be mistaken for a lack of seriousness in office, stressing that he maintains a different approach when handling official responsibilities.
“You need to see me when I am working. I can dance with you now, when you come to my office, I’m a very serious and prudent person. There’s time for everything, there’s time to dance, there’s time to work,” he said.
The governor further attributed the criticism of his dancing to jealousy among members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
“So, they are jealous because they don’t know how to dance. If they want, I will teach them how to dance, but that does not stop me from my work,” Adeleke said.
Adeleke, who is seeking a second term in office, also criticised his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola, suggesting that the former governor had not fully moved past his defeat in the previous governorship election.
“Gboyega Oyetola is still suffering from the pain of defeat because he is a cousin to Mr President. He has caused a lot of problems in Osun State,” he alleged.
The governor maintained that dancing was simply a personal hobby and had no bearing on his performance in office.
“Dancing is a hobby; it does not disturb or affect my work,” Adeleke said.
The Osun governorship election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, with Adeleke seeking to retain his position amid a competitive contest involving candidates from the major political parties.
