Before the 3-man fact- finding disciplinary committee that sacked the State APC’s former Chairman, Hon D.I Kekemeke, Engr. Ade Adetimehin was the state deputy chairman. Though, he had been acting on behalf of the state party chairman, whom many believed was not in good terms with the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), after winning the APC primary and inter-party governorship election on the 26th November, 2016.
The disciplinary committee headed by the party’s publicity secretary, Omooba Adesanya, as the Chairman, Hon Saka Yusuf Ogunleye, now commissioner for youth, sport and social development as the secretary and the current commissioner for natural resources, Mr. Rasheed Badmus, was a member of the committee that sacked Kekemeke and, unanimously appointed Adetimehin on the 1st of June, 2017 the state Chairman of the party, APC.
HIS POLITICAL INFLUENCE
Engr Ade Adetimilehim, who served under the administration of the late Adebayo Adefarati as a Special Adviser on Youth affairs started politics during the era of SDP and NRC. He was an active member, who played a prominent role in the politics of old Ondo State then. In 1999, he joined the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and he remained a consistent politician and loyal party leader, who did not leave the progressive party for another political party in the state.
After his party, AD, left the government in 2003 before it returned to power in 2017, the acting chairman remained in the party and was working for the progress of his party at the ward, local, state and national levels. It will be recalled that AD (Alliance for Democracy) was changed to AC (Action Congress) and later to ACN and APC (All Progressive Congress). Having occupied various positions at the party EXCO level, he became the deputy chairman of APC in Ondo state in 2014 and on the 1st of June 2017, he was made the acting chairman Adetimehin, who was the Deputy Director General of AKETI campaign organisation played a prominent role in the governorship election of Aketi for governor in 2012 and 2016.
In the last 6 months, he has accepted not fewer than 500 defectors and their supporters from various political parties to the APC. As an acting chairman, he has also played active roles in the appointments of the caretaker chairmen, commissioners, board and parastal appointments as he ensured that everyone was involved in the administration of Arakunrin Akeredolu.
This trained Civil Engineer and consultant- turned-politician is skilled in politics and political relations. His political acumen is wizardry and his followership is second to none. Adetimehin, who was the state Deputy Chairman of the APC before he was made the acting chairman, is, no doubt, one of the influential and powerful men in the government of Arakunrin Akeredolu in Ondo state.
HIS 20 YEARS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOVERNOR
Not many know that the relationship between Engineer Ade Adetimehin and Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is far beyond the present politics as they have been close as far back as 1996/ 1997 when Arakunrin was the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice during the administration of the late Navy Captain Anthony Ibe Onyearugbulem, and Col. Moses Fasanya. Both were military administrators in the old Ondo State between 22 August 1996- 7th August 1998 and August 1998 to May 1999 respectively.
They became friends at their first meeting and till date they have sustained the friendship. Both the acting chairman and the state governor have come a long way. Since the beginning of this administration, the chairman has been working hand-in-hand with the Governor to ensure that the people are well catered for and dividends of democracy are delivered to them.This man of honour is a native of Idanre in Ondo Central Senatorial District.
