Aregbesola’s commissioner ‘battles’ Adeleke’s brother in senatorial race

The national working committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (NWC) has cleared Mudashiru Hussein, a former commissioner in the cabinet of Rauf Aregbesola, governor of Osun state, to contest the party’s primary for the Osun west senatorial bye-election slated for Tuesday.

The committee in charge of the election had earlier cleared Ademola Adeleke, younger brother of the senator whose seat became vacant following his death on April 23.

The committee in charge of the election had disqualified Hussien for allegedly not resigning his appointment before seeking to contest the senatorial poll.

He had appealed the decision of the committee led by Sanusi Rikiji, speaker of the Zamfara state house of assembly, but met a brick wall until the  NWC ruled in his favour.

In a statement late Monday, Kunle Oyatomi, spokesman of the Osun chapter of the APC, said the national working committee had ruled that Hussien should contest the primary.

“The national working committee of the All Progressives Congress has Monday cleared Senator Mudasiru Hussein to contest the party’s primaries for the Osun West senatorial district holding tomorrow, Tuesday June 13, 2017,” he said in a statement.

“This is the outcome of the meeting of the NWC in Abuja which reviewed the decision of the Appeal Panel which had earlier dismissed the appeal filed by Senator Hussain on Sunday.

“By the regulation of the party, the decision of the NWC of the party is final.

“Therefore, delegates for the APC west for the Osun west senatorial district holding tomorrow, Tuesday, June 13, 2017.”

Hussien had a long-running battle with the late senator. In 2007, the late Adeleke who ran on the platform of the PDP defeated Hussein in the senatorial district.

Four years later, Hussien took over from the deceased, but in the last general election, the commissioner was persuaded to step down for the deceased.

The battle which ended with Adeleke’s death has been taken over by his sibling who goes head to head with Hussien on Tuesday.