Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun state, Governor Ademola Adeleke has said his passion for dancing has not interfered with his responsibilities or performance as governor.
Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, spoke on Tuesday at a town hall meeting organised by Arise News in Osogbo.
The governor said dancing was part of his personality and family culture, noting that he remained committed to his responsibilities and had continued to deliver projects across different sectors of the state.
Responding to questions about the perception that his dancing undermines his seriousness as governor, Adeleke said he was capable of combining his personal interests with the demands of public office.
“I repeat, nobody will stop me from dancing. I dance because in my family, we are jolly good fellows. As I am dancing, I am working, and I’m a very serious person,” he said.
Adeleke noted that public office did not require him to abandon activities he enjoyed, saying there was a clear distinction between moments of recreation and his responsibilities as governor.
“There is time for everything, there is time to dance, and there is time to work. Dancing does not stop me from working. I have delivered across all sectors,” he said.
The governor also appeared to turn the criticism into a light-hearted challenge, suggesting that his detractors were more concerned about his dancing because they could not match his moves.
“And there is time to work. So they are jealous. Because they cannot dance. If they want, I will teach them how to dance. But that does not stop my work,” he added.
Adeleke is contesting against Munirudeen Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Olajide Esan of the African Action Congress (AAC).
