Born close to six decades ago, Smart Adeyemi was Kogi West Senatorial District lawmaker between 2007 to 2015 before his rival Dino Melaye kicked him out of office.
He has also kicked his rival out of the Senate in the November 30, 2019 rerun election.
- Date of Birth: August 18, 1960
- State of origin: Kogi State
- Political party: All progressive Congress (APC)
- Previous position held: NUJ president
Education:
Smart Adeyemi attended the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, for his Masters degree in Public Administration and a post-graduate diploma in Public Relations, Diploma in Law, advanced diploma in Mass Communication.
His journalism career:
He had several years as a practising journalist and rose to become the president of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), an umbrella body for media practitioners in Nigeria from 1999 to 2006 before joining active politics.
Smart Adeyemi political career:
His stay at Nigeria’s National Assembly was eventful as he raised controversial issues which earned him more enemies within the floor of the chamber.
He was first elected to the Upper Legislative in April 2007, where he was appointed to committees on Privatization, Industry, Federal Character & Inter-Government Affairs as the Chairman Federal Capital Territory and Appropriation.
During this time, Adeyemi was also appointed vice-chairman of the Northern Senators Forum.
He 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 Daily Sun publication, Adeyemi was quoted as saying that there was huge corruption in the lawmaking chamber and called on Nigeria’s anti-graft agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlight on members of the Senate.
He denied it, saying he misquoted, “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.”
He made the statement when David Mark was the Senate President, who announced a six-man ad hoc committee to investigate the issue, describing it as a serious allegation. The committee was to be chaired by Senate Chief Whip Kanti Bello and to include Senators Ayogu Eze, Olorunnimbe Mamora (now a minister), James Manager, Adamu Talba and Zainab Kure.
Adeyemi wasn’t the first lawmaker to make such damning allegation against the National Assembly members. Senator Nuhu Aliyu from Niger State in January 2008 made a similar statement.
Adeyemi won the 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.
Adeyemi exit from the Senate:
It wasn’t rosy for Smart Adeyemi in the 2015 general elections as a more rugged politician Dino Melaye beat him at the poll.
The same feat was repeated by Melaye in the 2019 National Assembly election, but Adeyemi would not let go this time, saying Melaye never won a free and fair election.
He won at the Kogi State Election tribunal and at the Appeal Court as the fresh election has been ordered in the Kogi West.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Smart Adeyemi of APC as the winner of 2019 Kogi West rerun election.
Above all, Adeyemi is married with children.