Senator Buhari : The Pathfinder, The Record Breaker, The Trend Setter

For Senator Fatai Buhari, Numbers Don’t Lie

Ninety thousand and seventy-eight people voted for Senator Abdul-Fatai Buhari in the last election. But nobody expected Oyo North Senatorial District contest to be a two-horse race battle between two notable politicians from the same country home – given the way candidates from Oke-Ogun engaged in one of the most virulent campaigns laced with calumny and vilification against those they perceived as outsiders.

Spread across the 13 local government areas, the March 25th senatorial poll would remain one of the most interesting, intriguing, and breathtaking contests since the dawn of the 4th Republic in the history of the district.

But that’s not all. One of the underdogs in the race, Hon. Solomon Akinwale, the PDP candidate would surprisingly put up an impressive stunt at the poll by securing 77, 034 as the runner-up to the eventual winner.

In my column of January 21, 2023, titled ‘How Oyo North Senatorial District Contest will be won and lost’, my team of eminent analysts predicted victory for Senator Buhari but equally noted that should the people of Oke-Ogun buy into the sentiment and entitlement campaign rhetoric of Hon. Peller, Senator Buhari might call his sojourn to the national assembly an end – people bought competence over sentiment.

In a way, others such as Hon. Shina Peller and Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande of the Accord Party and Social Democratic Party would also score 54,732 and 33, 940 respectively. But to say the number that got one of Nigeria’s performing senators his third term in office is impressively instructive would mean to underestimate the numerous giant strides recorded by the Ogbomosho-born lawmaker.

In an election characterized by aggressive, combative, intensive rhetoric, Senator Buhari’s third-term electoral victory underscores his political resilience, tenacity, and sagacity.

The first senator to set such an enviable record in the history of the district. Added to this is the Senator’s record of being the most senior lawmaker at the red chamber in the yet-to-be-inaugurated 10th assembly from the SouthWest – another astonishing feather of his legislative laurels.

That Senator Buhari could pull the rug off the feet of his opponents in a startling, sparklingly, and tense-soak contest is heartwarmingly soothing.

But that’s not to say it’s easy; in effect, doubting Thomas whose stock in trade is to whitewash the efforts of the man who has raised the bar of quality and effective representation in the state to a greater height abound both online and offline – but their crocodile tears are useless and ineffective.

For those naysayers, the former commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs has always been a beneficiary of good luck mixed with goodwill. That he is always at the receiving end of people’s unanimous decision to vote for a presidential candidate under whose party he’s equally a candidate.

In 2015 for instance, they said he was lucky to be on the same ballot with President Muhammadu Buhari. Largely, they pontificated that the Buhari tsunami helped him to sail the hurdles of the time. Jokingly and half-heartedly, they inquired how can people vote for President in Buhari and not a senator for someone bearing a similar name. Since the two are one at least in name, why can’t they wish for the same political and socioeconomic transformation in all ramifications?

Not the type that usually backs down unless beaten to a stupor, these traducers ultimately believe that Senator Buhari’s gentlemanly approach and political style symbolize weakness and deficiency. And that time will tell if he escaped the glitz, glamour, and trappings of power.

“He won’t escape”, they shouted. To their chagrin, he defeated his opponent in that year’s election by scoring 100,456 votes.

Then 2019 came. As usual, the cynics came out with a barrage of dead-end tactics and strategies aimed at stopping the man of history from climbing the glistening stairs of the red chamber — again. To their bewilderment, once again, he won convincingly by polling 107, 706 votes. It was a merciless, jaw-dropping victory.

But he was magnanimous enough to triple his commitment towards his constituency. Where others meet stumbling blocks, he set his foot on the blocks to stepping up his dedication towards offering effective representation to his people. Where others fall and sink because of selfishness, he rises strongly and raises the bar of leadership with undaunted selflessness.

After he won the 2019 election, his adversaries came out from hiding to say he won because he rode on the feathers of a solid, formidable, and incredible federal House of Representative member. They pointed to Iseyin, Saki, and Igboho. They said he benefitted from the popularity, acceptability, and street credibility extended to those political rookies.

Now, he’s broken the jinx.

Since 1999, no senator from the district has been return-elected, not even once, or twice. He is the first. The pacesetter. The pathfinder. The record breaker. The trendsetter. But that didn’t come easy. Or was it?

There were gang-ups. Lies and falsehoods mixed with sentiment and entitlement mentality. He was branded. He was called names. But they couldn’t get to him. He stayed hyper-focused. Shut down adversaries with empowerment, employment, and projects. Where others were campaigning on sentiment and entitlement, he was busy telling people to vote for him based on his track record of service. People listened and acted accordingly.

They voted for the candidate of their choice. They defied media manipulations and rewarded an excellent track record of service delivery with another four years of massive impact.

If it is easy, as one famous Nigerian artist once quipped, they should do it. Not once, twice but three times.

Muftau Gbadegesin