OPINION - Senate Presidency: This is our chance in Kwara. By Kayode Oyin-Zubair

Date: 2015-04-19

In 1979, Providence presented to our dear state - Kwara the opportunity of leading the Senate of the second republic and the cap was hovering over the late Dr. Olusola Saraki of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). Saraki eventually wore the cap and became the senate leader.

Senator Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, another son of the soil was a member of the senate at that time but rode on the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) to the upper chamber of the legislative house. As the scramble for the exalted seat in the house started, C.O. Adebayo pitched his tent with his brother, Olusola Saraki even with their clear differential political leanings. Adebayo was proud of doing that and thanked God his brother made it.

You will recall that the former senate leader paid Adebayo back in the 1983 governorship election when he threw his weight behind him to become the governor of Kwara State.

Providence again beckons on Dr. Bukola Saraki to lead the 8th Senate, now as the senate president. Would any son or daughter of Kwara despise this cause?

The chief campaigner of Saraki senate presidency today is Lai Mohammed who holds that this is our chance in the state of harmony, he also believes this window will afford us the opportunity of contributing to nation building while our own is in the saddle.

Mohammed unlike Adebayo belongs to the same political party with Saraki. Mohammed unknown to many has a long standing relationship with the Saraki family. In 2003, before Senator Saraki joined the governorship race, political pundits held that the patriarch of the Saraki family was going to support Alhaji Lai Mohammed who was running on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). I was a coordinator of the Lai Mohammed Campaign Organization (LAMCO) in Ifelodun local government area.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the governor of Lagos State in 2002 and Lai Mohammed was his chief of staff (de facto deputy governor); when the late Oloye approached Asiwaju for an intervention on a Kwara matter. Lai Mohammed took it upon himself and honored the late pillar of Kwara politics. Little wonder through out his campaign in 2003 and later as the spokesman for MRD/MDD, ACD, AC, ACN and now, he never hurled attack on the Saraki family which many of the unreliable characters within us found unacceptable.

Lai Mohammed is urbane, humble and sincere. At the launch of his book - Witness to History, in Lagos in 2013, Asiwaju exclaimed that he would have protested should Lai Mohammed failed to allow him to present the book. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria's president-elect wrote the foreword to that book. Asiwaju didn't fail to expose the character of Lai Mohammed in his brief speech.

"Lai, you are intelligent, Lai you are smart, Lai you are an honest man. You are only being modest by saying you are a witness to history. You are the history. Lai is ACN, and ACN is Lai." It was about the time ACN was winding up and we had returned our certificate to INEC.

This is the man who believes in the socio-economic well being of his people and had pursued same with vigor over time. He is one man that believes in the Will of the Almighty God on every issue of life. He is a devout Muslim; some of his followers dare to address him as Alfa because he had on many occasions declined to behave like the average Nigeria politician.

As some may not know, Senator Saraki and Alhaji Lai Mohammed are on the same page on every issue as it affect our party since the merger was consummated. The senate presidency can't be an exemption. The cynics will be shocked to the marrow in the nearest future when Kwara finally carry the ace. To be concluded.

Kayode Oyin-Zubair, is the Head of Programs (Mandate 2015) and Secretary Kwara Unity Forum (KUF), political group of Lai Mohammed.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa     Simeon Ajibola     AGF Abdulrazaq     COVID-19 Palliatives     AIT Ilorin     Jumoke F. Ajao     Umar Adelodun     Alfa Modibbo Belgore     Binta Sulyman     Saadu Alanamu     Durbar     Jaigbade Alao     Federal Road Maintenance Agency     Mike Omotosho     Ojuekun     Okanlawon Taiwo     Tsaragi/Share     Aishat Mohammed Lawal     Ajidagba     Mutawalle     Muhammadu Buhari     Yomi Ogunsola     Suleman Abubakar     Bamikole Omishore     Okin Biscuit     Isaac Aderemi Kolawole     Alore     Tafidan Kaiama     Kamaldeen Gambari     Kwara State Television     Ishaq Abdulkarim     Abdulsalam A. Yusuf     Galadima     Alapado     Abdulwahab Ololele     Gaa Olobi     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah     Ahman Pategi University     KWASIEC     Awili Pedro     Colleges Of Education Academic Staff Union     Ben Duntoye     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Alanamu     Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     Kwasu     Shuaib Jawondo     AGILE Programme     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Valsolar-Kwara Company Limited     Simeon Sule Ajibola     C2c@kwarastate.gov.ng     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Aliyu Muyideen     Razaq Atunwa     Kwara Hotel     Borgu     Olugbense     Ajuloopin     Kwara Central     Abdulmumini Jawondo     Bello Bature     Baruten     AbdulGaniyu Kareem     Patience Jonathan     Erubu Oba Zubair     Osi     Dogara     Emir Of Kano     AbdulQowiy Olododo     Vasolar Consortium     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     Razak Atunwa     Yusuf Amuda Abubakar     Bayo Mohammed Onimode    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Fatima Abolore Jimoh     Kunbi Titiloye     Ballah     Abdulrosheed Okiki     Afin Descendants Union Of Odo-Owa     Iqra Books     Abegunde Goke     Lotus Bank     Abdulrahman Abdulrasak     Bankole Omisore     Bola Ahmed Tinubu     Ibikunle Ogunleye     Quran     Kwara North     Biliaminu Aliu     Share/Tsaragi     Kola Bukoye     Bisi Oyeleke     Umar Yakubu Jaja     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Gobirawa     Mashood Abdulrafiu Agboola     Osi     Ayodele Shittu     Bank Of Industry     College Of Arabic And Islamic Legal Studies     Makama Of Ilorin     Aliyu Muyideen     Seun Bolaji     Kwara 2019     Okoolowo     Samuel Adaramola     Abubakar Baba     Femtech     Obayomi Azeez     Hamidat Sulyman-Yusuf     April 11     Belgore     LABTOP     Segun Adeniyi     Jumoke Monsura Gafar     Olatunde Jare     Ojuekun     EFCC     Irepodun     Abdul-Rasheed Na\'Allah     Joana Nnazua Kolo     Ilorin Like-Minds     Arca Santa     Olajumoke Monsura Gafar     Mustapha Akanbi     Saba Mamman Daniel     Awwal Jawondo     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport     Shuaib Olarongbe     Barakat Community Secondary School     Aliyu Salihu     Peter Amogbonjaye     Fatimat Saliu     George Funsho Adebayo     Agboola Babatunde     Abdulmajeed Wahab     UNILORIN Alumni     Omu Aran     Shuaib Abdulkadir     JUSUN     Neo Mundo Ltd     Abubakar Suleiman     Simeon Sule Ajibola     Egbewole     Olupako Of Share     Tanke Road     Haruna Olawale Sulaiman     Convocation Ceremonies     Modupe Oluwole     Isapa     Oye Tinuoye