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.

Iyaloja-General     Agbarigidoma     Saad Omo\'ya     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Justina Oha     Alanamu     Olatunji Ayeni     Babajide Ajayi     Isin     Okin Group     Saka Adeyemo     Fola Consultant     Ahmad Uthman     Mufti Of Ilorin     Gbajabiamila     State Bureau Of Internal Revenue     JSSCE     Abdulrasheed Lafia     Tinubu     Elewu     Alabi Lawal     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     Christian Association Of Nigeria     Afeyin-Olukuta     Col. Ibrahim Taiwo     Ahmed \'Lateef     Sheriff Olanrewaju     Bayo Ajia     Abdulrasaq Alaro     Adamu B. Yaqubu     Nupe     Sobi FM     Mahmud Durosinlohun Atiku     Leke Ogungbe     UNIFEMGA     Coronavirus     Ayobami Akanbi     Saheed Alakoso     Balikis Jawondo     Oluwatoyin Lukman     Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment     Emmanuel Bello     Sodiya     Jare Olatundun     University Road     Al-Ilory     Yusuf Badmus     Emir Of Shonga     Okin High School     Abdulfatah Ahmed     Ahmad Olanrewaju Belgore     Omotosho     Awili Pedro     Idris Amosa Oladipo Saidu     Abdul Jimoh Mohammed     NITDA     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     Kanu Agabi     Tosho Yaqub     Yaman     Ilorin Amusement Park     CELF     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     Oba Abdulrahim     Kwara Restoration Project     Ajia-Bako     Lai Mohammed     Niguel Gallando Marcias     Saidu Yaro Musa     Olaitan Buraimoh     Hassan A. Saliu     International Vocational Centre     John Mayokun Dada     Senate Presidency     Abdulkareem Alabi     Fatima Abolore Jimoh     Neuropsychiatric Hospital    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Bolakale Saka     Modibbo Kawu     Monthly Sanitation Exercise     Wahab Olasupo Egbewole     IsDB     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     George Innih     Aishat Mohammed Lawal     Yusuf Ibitokun Sherifat     Jimoh Olusola Imam     Ileloke     Yusuf Badmus     Muideen Olaniyi Alalade     Galland Marcias     TESCOM 2025     AGF Abdulrazaq     Kwara 2015     Ayinde Oyepitan     Kisira     Gbenga Olawepo     Yusuf Mubarak     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Oba Abdulrahim     Olota Of Odo-Owa     Samari     Ado Bayero     Moshood Bakare     Oasis Muslim Care Foundation     Folaranmi Aro     SUBEB     Zulkifli Ibraheem     Saduki Lafiagi     LEAH Charity Foundation     Kola Ologbondiyan     Risikat Lawal     Ganiyu Taofiq     Tosin Saraki     NFAI     Ibrahim Abdullahi     Ubandoma     Ilesha-Baruba     Makama     NAWOJ     Yekeen Alabi     Dapo Teni Nig Enterprise     Vasolar Consultoria     Jare Olatundun     Shuaibu Yaman     Abdulquowiyu Olododo     Oro Grammar School     Saad Belgore     Sidikat Alaya     Bibire Ajape     Olaitan Adefila     Sunday Fagbemi     Ben Duntoye     Mahe Abdulkadir     Memunat Monsuma     Simeon Ajibola     Abubakar Imam     Javed Khan     National Information Technology Development Agency     Ayinke Saka     Lukman Oyebanji Fagbemi     Aisha Ahman-Pategi     Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency     Omotoso     Congress For National Consensus     Muyideen Ajani Bello     Sheikh Hamzat Yusuf Ariyibi     Saliu Tunde Bello     Revenue Court     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     Harafat E. Mukadam     Damilola Yusuf Adelodun     Modupe Oluwole     HICA