‘I was Misled...I Am Not A Thief’,TELL story that ruined Late Adefarati's Second Term Ambition in Ondo

ARCHIVE

Ondo state and in deed the entire country was shocked to read, on news stand, one of the editions of TELL magazine in December 24, 2001 with the cover page “A GOVERNOR’S DIRTY DEAL...I WAS MISLED…I AM NOT A THIEF” with bold Picture of Former Ondo State Governor, Late Chief Adebayo Adefarati.

The edition was talk of the town in that particular year and one of the factors that ruined the chances of ‘Baba Adefarati’s ambition to rule Ondo state for the second term.

The edition was reportedly stopped from entering Ondo state then but had been circulated round other states, making in impossible for government to stop the circulation.

According to wikipedia, Adefarati was Governor of Ondo State from 1999 to 2003.

He was later a presidential candidate for the Alliance for Democracy party in the April, 2007 presidential election,but died in Owo, Ondo State at the age of 76 of an undisclosed ailment a few weeks prior to the election.

He had not been considered a major candidate, but his death raised the possibility that the election would be delayed.

A spokesman for the Independent National Electoral Commission said that this would not happen, and that the party could name a replacement candidate.

“It will not affect the elections,” Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) spokesman Segun Adeogun told Reuters news agency.

Mr Adeogun says the Alliance for Democracy will be allowed to replace Adebayo Adefarati, who died Thursday.

“Unless someone is up to some mischief, the death of Adefarati should not affect the polls,” Hamisu Shira, chair of Nigeria’s House of Representatives committee on electoral matters told the BBC News website.

“All the Alliance for Democracy is required to do is simply present another presidential candidate to INEC.”

President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is stepping down after two terms, paid tribute to Mr Adeferati at a campaign rally, saying: “He would have been a worthy opponent.”

History will also not forget the journalist that did the wonderful job.