Hard Times for Political Serial Contender, Segun Adewale

Society Watch

Otunba Segun Adewale, the Lagos State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and boss of Aeroland Travels Limited, is reportedly in trouble at the moment.

Contrary to the thinking in some quarters, his headache, Society Watch gathered, has nothing to do with his unfulfilled political ambition.

Trouble began for him, following the February 7, 2022 judgment delivered by Justice D.E. Osiagor the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos. Adewale had been dragged before the court by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) over a N1.8bn loan.

In compliance with the enforcement order of the court, AMCON had, on Friday, May 6, 2022, taken effective possession of his nine properties listed by the court through its debt recovery agent, Robert Ohuoba & Co.

Some of the properties include Plot 4 & 4B, Block 66, Magodo Scheme, Lagos State; Plot 9, Block 44c, Adetoro Adelaja Street, Magodo Lagos; 4C Maiye Ogundana Street, Magodo, Lagos; 10 Oluyomi Oshikoya Street, Magodo Residential Scheme, Lagos; Plot 8, Block 66, Residential Scheme, Sangisha, Lagos; 2A John Olugbo Street, Ikeja, Lagos; 2 Fadeyi Street, off Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos; 8 Surulere Alelor Street, Millenium, Gbagada and 14 Jerry Iriabe Street, off Bashorun Okusanya, off Admiralty Road, Lekki Peninsula.

The court also ordered the freezing of the bank accounts and shares of the company’s directors, including those of Adewale and one Mrs. Victoria Adewale.

 The court granted AMCON the rights to seize any other landed property in any other place that might be found within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court belonging to Aeroland Travels Limited’s boss or either of his directors.

However, in a swift reaction, the businessman has accused AMCON of illegally sending policemen to seal his business premises over an alleged debt to Polaris Bank.

To many, Adewale’s political sojourn is nothing to be envious of, as he has not been lucky since his entrance into the murky water of Nigeria’s political scene. He is someone who could be described as a serial contender and a serial loser.

In 2007 and 2011, the Ekiti State-born multimillionaire contested the election into the state’s House of Assembly but lost, amidst allegations of rigging. In 2015, he also contested the election into the Senate on the platform of the PDP, but he was once again defeated by Senator Adeola Solomon.

After several attempts to realise his political ambition in Lagos, he resolved to try his luck in his home state, Ekiti.

In 2018, he vied for the number one job of the state under a relatively unknown political party, Action Democratic Party (ADP). But he suffered a similar fate, and he immediately ran back to Lagos State with his tail between his legs.

Undeterred, he returned to his old constituency in 2019 and fought like a wounded lion to secure the ticket of the PDP for his senatorial ambition. Sadly, he was beaten by Senator Solomon of APC.

Curiously, he seems not to have given up on his ambition, as he is said to be eying the Lagos West Senatorial seat in the coming election. But keen observers of political happenings say he is on another wild goose chase.