Smart Adeyemi (born 18 August 1960 at Iyara in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State ) was elected Senator for the Kogi West constituency of
Kogi State
Kogi State is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the west by the states of Ekiti and Kwara, to the north by the Federal Capital Territory, to the northeast by Nasarawa State, to the northwest by Niger State, to the s ...
,
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
, taking office on 29 May 2007. He is a member of the
APC.
Re-elected as senator for the third time on the 30th of November 2019.
Early years
Smart Adeyemi was born on 18 August 1960.
He earned a post-graduate diploma in Public Relations, diploma in Law, advanced diploma in Mass Communication, and master's in Public Administration from the
Federal University of Technology Owerri
The Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) is a federal government university in Owerri West, the capital of Imo State, Nigeria. The university is bounded by the communities of Eziobodo, Umuchima, Ihiagwa and Obinze. It is the premier ...
, and became a journalist.
He was National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists from 1999 to 2006.
[
]
Political career
Adeyemi was elected to the Senate in April 2007. On assuming his Senate seat he was appointed to committees on Privatization, Industry, Federal Character & Inter-Government Affairs (Chairman), Federal Capital Territory and Appropriation.[ He was also appointed vice chairman of the Northern Senators Forum.
In a mid-term evaluation of Senators in May 2009, ThisDay noted that Adeyemi had worked on bills on the State of the Nation Address and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act amendment, and sponsored three motions.
In May 2010 the ''Daily Sun'' said Adeyemi had asked the ]Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud (419 fraud) and money laundering. The EFCC was established in 2003, partially in response to pre ...
(EFCC) to start an investigation of members of the National Assembly who he alleged were corrupt. Adeyemi said that he had been misquoted. He said, "I never said this National Assembly is corrupt ..but if there are a few that are corrupt the EFCC should go ahead to expose them."
Despite his denial, Senate President David Mark
David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark , is a retired Nigerian Army Brigadier General and politician. He was President of the Senate of Nigeria from 2007 to 2015 and was the Senator for Benue South Senatorial District Benue State. He is a member of the ...
announced a six-man ad hoc committee to investigate the issue, describing it as serious allegation. The committee was to be chaired by Senate Chief Whip Kanti Bello and to include Senators Ayogu Eze
Sen. Ayogu Eze (born 23 November 1958) was elected Senator for the Enugu North Senatorial District of Enugu State, Nigeria, taking office on June 05, 2007. He is currently a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC but was elected to the se ...
, Olorunnimbe Mamora
Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora (born 16 February 1953) is a Nigerian politician, who is currently the Minister of Science and Technology, he previously served has Minister of State of Health of Nigeria. He was elected Senator for the Lagos East con ...
, James Manager
James Manager is a Nigerian senator of the People's Democratic Party representing Delta South Senatorial District of Delta State in the Nigerian Senate. He became a Senator in 2003.
Background
Manager attended Epiekiri Primary School Ogbeina ...
, Adamu Talba
Adamu Garba Talba (born 15 August 1952) is a native of Karai-Karai born in Nangere, Yobe State. He was elected Senator for the Yobe South constituency of Yobe State, Nigeria, taking office on 29 May 2007.
Education
Talba gained a Diploma In P ...
and Zainab Kure
Zainab Abdulkadir Kure (born 24 November 1959) was elected Senator for the Niger South constituency of Niger State, Nigeria, taking office on 29 May 2007. She is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Life
Kure obtained a BSc in Poli ...
.
Adeyemi's allegation was similar to one made by Senator Nuhu Aliyu
Nuhu Aliyu Labbo (born 1941) is a Nigerian politician elected to the Senate for the Niger North constituency of Niger State in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007.
Background
Nuhu Aliyu was born in June 1941. He studied Advance Police Manag ...
from Niger State in January 2008, which caused a similar strong reaction from the other legislators.
Adeyemi won the PDP primary to compete for re-election as Kogi West Senator in the April 2011 elections.
However, a court nullified the PDP primary election on 4 April 2011, saying it did not follow due process as defined in the electoral act.
A fresh primary was run on 7 April, in which Adeyemi defeated his opponent Abiye Abinso by 1,124 votes to two.
In the elections of 9 April 2011, Adeyemi retained his seat.Dino Melaye
Dino Melaye (born 7 January 1974) is a Nigerian politician, a former senator and was a member of the 8th Nigerian National Assembly, representing Kogi West Senatorial district. He is from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi Stat ...
in a supplementary election ordered by the country's apex court, for a fresh election to be conducted after Senator Dino Melaye's victory was nullified. Adeyemi won with a margin of over 20,000 votes.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adeyemi, Smart
Living people
1960 births
Peoples Democratic Party members of the Senate (Nigeria)
Kogi State politicians
Yoruba politicians
Federal University of Technology Owerri alumni
21st-century Nigerian politicians