By Alabi Tunji Michael (ATM)
The journey of repositioning to greatness in all spheres of life have always not been a bed of roses. Many hurdles, within and outside, seen and unseen, heard and unheard, known and unknown, need to be crossed, successfully unharmed before the attainment of such feat.
Politics, right away from inception, has always been a fantasy of conflict resolutions, managing various antagonistic variables. It is an Enterprise that thrives within the interplay of literary missiles, verbal atomic bombardments, deep diplomatic manipulations, extensive intellectual confabulations, complex truth exposition, blatant lies conglomeration, half truth concortion and blunt truth unbearable laceration.
As the Distinguished Senator Dr (Prince) AbdulFatai Omotayo Buhari continues with his repositioning agenda to fix our dear State to greatness, the major hurdle before the lawmaker, according to political analysts is the “Ibadan Factor” since he is not an Ibadan born but accustomed.
However, I laugh out in the loudest mode when issues of such come up for discussion.
The political gladiators and teeming populace of Ibadan, the Political Headquarters of the South Western part of Nigeria have been in no doubt, key factors to determining who governs the ancient Pace Setter State.This is not to say Ogbomoso, Oyo, Oke -Ogun and Ibarapa axis of the State are minors in terms of credible , experienced and qualified personalities to pilot the affairs of the once prosperous State.
Rhetorically, with the present ways the State is being governed, will Ibadan political bigwigs, a town full of widely exposed intellectuals and professionals in all fields of life, shun credibility, competence, integrity, trustworthiness, humility, proactiveness, responsiveness, Fear of God, politically and technocratically qualified candidate with achievable visions to the benefit of all, in the name of not being an Ibadan born politician? Alas, NO.
Without mincing words and any fear of being contradicted, Senator AbdulFatai Omotayo Buhari unarguably stands tall among the various contenders in this build up to the 2023 gubernatorial election in Oyo State.
The reasons are not far fetched judging the ways he has held his previous political offices and the way he has been able to represent Oyo North Senatorial District outstandingly well since he came on board in 2015 to date.
In terms of bills sponsored and motions moved, facilitated and personal projects, training, workshops and seminars, road rehabilitation and construction, employment opportunities and generation, the lawmaker remains unmatched.
The lawmaker representing Oyo North Senatorial District has on three occasions empowered his constituents where over 1500 Motorcycles, 100 Salon Cars, 2500 Grinding machines, 1500 Sewing Machines, 400 Refrigerators, 108 Solar Powered Boreholes, 100 street lights, 52 ICT Centres, hundreds of million naira cash donated for developmental projects and to the aged as well as bursary awards to students of the constituency, to mention but a few.
He built blocks of classrooms with offices and stores, gave out over 50,000 textbooks and paid the WAEC Fees of over 600 selected students of Oyo North Senatorial District aside the donation of transformers, donation of equipment worth millions of naira to three hospitals in the zone.
All these and many more distributed in the 13 local governments of Oyo North Senatorial District, by The Most Distinguished Senator Dr (Prince) AbdulFatai Omotayo Buhari, can be verified as these are neither audio, hyping nor exaggeration.
The Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso will not forget the kind gestures of Senator Buhari.
This is why I refer to him, without fear of being contradicted, as Most Distinguished, because the lawmaker has redefined representation, set an unprecedented pace with his fear of God, wisdom, intelligence, vision and proactive situational leadership principles.
The combinations of democratic dividends brought to Oyo North Senatorial District in the last sixteen (16) years by his predeccessors cannot match the six (6) years achievements of Senator AbdulFatai Omotayo Buhari.
A survey of the representation in the other Senatorial zones in Oyo State from 1999 to 2015 equally affirms the Most Distinguished and Omoluabi status of the Ogbomoso born politician.
Politically, Senator Buhari represented Ogbomoso North/Ogbomoso South/Oriire Federal Constituency in 2003, served as Special Adviser on Water Resources and Commissioner Local Governments and Chieftaincy Titles under the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi led Oyo State administration before he contested and won the Oyo North Senatorial seat to represent the zone from 2015 to 2019.
His emergence, right from the party primaries to his election victory, which he won with over 18,000 votes, for another term, (2019-2023), first in the history of the zone, is divine. Not forgetting the tireless efforts of the ever loyal, dedicated, trustworthy and sincere constituents, whom he has always appreciated and reciprocated with unbelievable dividends of democracy because to whom much is given, too much is equally expected.
Democratically and in the spirit of fairness and credibility, which the party is known for, and for total victory at the polls, I hope all those jostling for the exalted number one citizen seat of Oyo State in the coming 2023 Gubernatorial Contest , on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) should be well scrutinized and whoever emerges at the party primaries be given maximum supports in the election proper.
Distinguished Senator AbdulFatai Omotayo Buhari is adequately prepared to reposition Oyo State to a new prosperous era of hope and it is hoped that, all relevant stakeholders will give him the needed support to actualise this.
With Senator Buhari, Oyo State is more safer, better and prosperous.
God bless Oyo State.
