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.

Mubarak Oladosu     Ahmed Saidu Rufai     Binta Abubakar Mora     Kwara State Fire Service     General Hospital     Sarakite     Abdulrasaq Alaro     Abdulmumini AbdulRazaq     Onilupeju Of Ilupeju     Olumide Daniel Ibitoye     EFCC     Babaloja-General     Opolo Global Innovation Limited     Aso Ofi     John Olobayo     Tope Daramola     Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria     Yahaya Seriki Gambari     Kwara Hotel     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Ishak Mohammed Sabi     Kanu Agabi     Abdulhakeem Amao     Saadu Yusuf     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     Muyideen Ajani Bello     Kwara Restoration Project     Tunde Yusuf     Haruna Tambiri Mohammed     Saidu Kawu     Onilorin     Shuaib Olarongbe     Ilorin     Bamikole Omishore     Oloyede     Eruku     Ariyo     Oniyangi     Iyabo Dupe Adekeye     Saka Isau     Isau     Boko Haram     Michael Nzwekwe     Baba Isale     ENetSuD     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Buari Edun     Oba Sulaiman Asude     Ramadhan     Kayode Oyin-Zubair     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     Lola Olabayo     Tunde Akanbi     KWTV     Sheriff Olanrewaju     Abegunde Goke     NIRSAL     Read With Me     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     Kunle Suleiman     Erubu Oba Zubair     Oluwarotimi Boluwatife Adenike     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Alagbado     Baba Adini Of Kwara State     Ambassador Kayode Laro     Iliasu     CUTI     Haashim Initiative For Community Advancement     Shade Omoniyi     Shehu Jimoh     Niguel Gallando Marcias     Garuba Alikinla Shittu     Otunba Taiwo Joseph     Oloruntoyosi Thomas     Muazam Nayaya     V.O. Abioye    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Rafiu Ajakaye     Abdulhakeem Adelaja Amao     Susan Modupe Oluwole     Ibikunle Ogunleye     Talaka Parapo     Aliyu Alhassan     Bello Bature     Ganmo Electricity Sub-Station     CUTI     Ubandawaki     Salake     Gbenga Awoyale     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Agbarere     Abdulrauf Yusuf     Na\'Allah     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund     PPS     Umar Saro     Ahmad Belgore     Emir Of Ilorin     Fatima Abolore Jimoh     Abdulmumini Jawondo     Elerin Of Adanla     Falokun-Oja     Coalition Of Kwara North Groups     Wale Oladepo     Obasanjo     Kwara Volleyball Association     Alapansapa     Students Union Government     Ibraheem Adeola Katibi     Aisha Abodunrin Ibrahim     Quareeb Islamic Association     Samari     Ekweremadu     Abubakar Suleiman     Kayode Issa     Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment     JAMB     Sheriff Olanrewaju     Sanusi Abubakar     COEASU     Kemi Adeosun     Sarakite     NTA Ilorin     Yakubu Dogara     Ajike People Support Centre     Ahmed Bolaji Nagode     James Kolo     United Nigeria Congress Party     New Model Police Station     Ibrahim Taiwo     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Bolakale Saka     Ndama Al-hassan     Abraysports FC     Oko Erin     Samuel Adedoyin     Share     Abdulrahman Onikijipa     Khairat Gwadabe     Mustapha Akanbi     Titus Suberu-Ajibola     Mutawali Of Ilorin     Edu     Abdulkadri Ahmad Alaiye     Oladimeji Thompson     Kwara United     Taibat Ayinke Ahmed     Yusuf Abdulraheem     IESA     Oloyede     Ilorin East     Saka Asiat Ayinke