Metro
Oyo 2019: Why Senator Buhari is The Preferred Choice || By. Abdulwahab Adegoke
THE scramble for the number one man in Oyo state has started and a lot of contenders are throwing their hats into the ring for the contest. Though many are yet to declare their intention but already there are about 30 people in the race from the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), while PDP and other parties too have numbers of aspirants .
In a time like this, both pretenders and serious contenders will be moving round to convince people , pasting posters and seeking for people’s support, but one thing that is certain is that only one person will emerge and I wish the next governor is Distinguished Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari
My choice of Fatai Buhari as a preferred candidate and the most competent man to succeed Ajimobi is buoyed by the fact that he has demonstrated his genuine passion in serving the people. He has been tested and trusted and it won’t be out of place to entrust him with the number one position in the state because he will do well.
Apart from adequate representation and contributions on the floor of the house as a member of the the National Assembly, Buhari while at the lower chamber of the National Assembly set an unprecedented record of achievements in Nigeria politics through some of his activities which include: donation of cars for commercial purposes to 47 members of his constituency and organizations, payment of WAEC for students in all secondary schools in Ogbomoso South and Oriire Federal constituency, provision of loan facilities for petty traders and business women, donation of educational supports for students and Bursary award to students in tertiary institution, secure Federal Job for many members of his constituency and many others.
His tenure at the ministry of Water Resources where he served as Special Adviser to the Governor and Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy matter where he served as a commissioner also witnessed some level of improvement. As a commissioner, he ensure that payment of primary school teacher’s salary did not exceed 26th of every month, he made it possible by arranging with banks to release the fund for payment of salary as and when due and retrieve it as soon as the allocation from the Federal Government is released for the state. Many council chairmen, politicians and even technocrats will not forget his contribution to their success stories through prompt response to their demands and support for their council .
Fatai Buhari score card at the Senate in the last three years is another fantastic attestation to his credibility as a politicians who is passionate about his people and the growth of Nigeria at large. He is one of the 10 Senators with the highest numbers of motions and bills, his intellectual contributions to issues at the plenary are always apt and given adequate consideration. For instance, the motion on public debate for president, and governors will go a long way in reshaping the political development of Nigeria.
Another significant bill which is ongoing is that of Establishment of University of Agricultural Technology in Oke Ogun. The bill if sail through will hasten the development of the region and make Oyo state another food basket of the nation. He is also working on making Ikere Gorge dam to function to his capacity, rehabilitation of Oyo-Iseyin road, Okeho- Iseyin road and many others.
His two major empowerment programs are not only the best in term of numbers of items distributed but they were empowerment programs with the largest number of beneficiaries in the history of Nigeria. No fewer than 2,000 people benefited at each program; this asides the one he has been doing without making noise.
For instance , in November, the lawmaker paid WAEC Fees of about 6,000 pupils of secondary schools in his constituency, and also donated mini bus for Federation of Oyo State Student Union and built ICT centres in schools across the 13 local governments in Ogbomoso and Oke Ogun. He has facilitated trainings, skill acquisitions and financed over 3,000 artisans and school leavers and job seekers.
The lawmaker is humble and highly principled, he doesn’t underrates anybody. He is a man loved by the people and his humility and kindness was attested to by many traditional rulers, civil servants and many others. Governor Abiola Ajimobi, last month in Iseyin during the empowerment program held at NYSC camp said, “since I have been meeting people as a governor, I have never seen a humble man like Fatai Buhari, he is humble and hardworking”. The governor said further “it will not be out of place to say Senator Buhari is the best Senator Oyo state ever produced, I was once a senator too and I never did something like this while at the Senate “.
Ajimobi’s statement is an automatic endorsement for Senator Buhari gubernatorial ambition, APC chairman, Chief Akin Oke and other stakeholders who spoke at the program also joined Ajimobi in eulogizing and commending the efforts of Senator Buhari in alleviating the suffering of the masses and contributing to the development of the state, all these statements testify to the claim that the Ogbomoso born Senator is a competent person who will not betray the confidence reposed in him by the electorate .
During his visit to the APC secretariat in November 2017 to declare his intention, he was commended by the party echelon for his support for the party.
“Apart from his regular donations for the party he is also responsive to any request from us . It shows he is a party man and the party is enjoying him and I believe will enjoy him better if given the opportunity to serve in a higher position”, said one of the party chiefs in his comment .
Apart from his wealth of experience and entrepreneur background, the Senator is highly connected at the National level and he has a blueprint for the development of Oyo state. Part of his agenda include: qualitative education, good health care delivery, infrastructural development, youth empowerment, job creations, and many others.
I want to concluded by urging the people of Oyo state to always consider Senator Buhari as the next governor of the state/ He is a selfless leader, a defender of the masses who has demonstrated his genuine intention to move the state forward and an highly connected politician who will use his contacts and links both within and outside Nigeria to develop human capacity, hasten infrastructural development and promote unity and progress in Oyo state .
Abdulwahab Adegoke, writes from Saki, Oyo State.
It was a night of sorrow and devastation in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, as a horrific multiple-vehicle crash along the Ibadan axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway claimed at least five lives and left eight others injured in a fiery chain collision involving trucks, tankers, and smaller vehicles.
The accident occurred at about 10:00 p.m. on Friday around the Satguru Maharaji Ji Village axis, just before the Ibadan Toll Gate, throwing the busy highway into chaos as flames and thick smoke engulfed the scene.
The crash involved six trucks, including gas tankers and trailer units, two Toyota Hilux vans, and two cars, according to emergency officials who described it as one of the most severe road accidents in recent times on the corridor.
Eyewitnesses said the tragedy began when one of the trucks reportedly suffered brake failure and rammed into another vehicle ahead of it, triggering a chain reaction that quickly escalated into a multi-vehicle inferno.
In moments, several vehicles were trapped in the blaze, while terrified motorists and bystanders watched helplessly as the fire spread across the expressway.
Eight persons were rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, said the crash was caused by brake failure which spiralled into a massive fire outbreak.
“Upon arrival, we discovered that the accident involved six trucks (gas tankers and trailer trucks) and two cars, resulting in a fire outbreak,” he said.
“Five persons were recovered dead, while eight others were rescued and handed over to the team of the Federal Road Safety Corps led by SRC Adegbite from Toll Gate, Ibadan, for further medical attention at the nearest hospital.”
Firefighters eventually brought the inferno under control after hours of operation, while security operatives and traffic officials worked to clear wreckage and restore movement on the busy expressway.
Normalcy has since returned to the road, but the tragedy has left behind a grim reminder of the dangers of mechanical failure and unsafe haulage on Nigeria’s busiest highway.
A deeply disturbing incident has left residents of Daura Local Government Area, Katsina State, in shock after a 20-year-old woman allegedly killed her 97-year-old grandmother during a family dispute.
The Katsina State Police Command confirmed that the tragic incident occurred at about 7:00 p.m. on June 12, 2026, following an argument between the suspect and her paternal grandmother at their residence.
According to preliminary investigations, the disagreement escalated into violence when the young woman allegedly struck the elderly victim on the head with a wooden chair. The blow reportedly left the nonagenarian severely injured and unconscious.
The victim was later discovered in a pool of blood after the suspect’s father reported the incident to the Sabon Garin Daura Police Station. Police operatives immediately rushed to the scene and evacuated her to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.
Despite efforts by medical personnel, she was confirmed dead by a doctor shortly after arrival.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Katsina State Command, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, said the suspect was arrested in the course of investigation and had reportedly made a confession to the crime.
He added that the suspect remains in custody and will be charged to court upon the completion of investigations, assuring that justice would be served in accordance with the law.
The command also appealed for calm among residents, reiterating its commitment to a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
No fewer than 20 shops were razed while goods valued at over ₦200 million were destroyed after a midnight fire gutted a shopping complex in the Dugbe area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
The inferno, which started around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, affected the Nigerian Postal Service shopping complex located beside the Dugbe General Post Office.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent on Sunday that the fire was allegedly triggered by an accident involving a Lexus saloon car.
According to residents, the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while travelling from the Queen’s Cinema axis towards Iyaganku.
The vehicle was said to have rammed into a giant billboard situated in front of the Nigerian Railway Corporation station in Ibadan before somersaulting and splitting into two.
Witnesses said the rear part of the vehicle, reportedly carrying a Compressed Natural Gas tank and back tyres, detached and rolled into the shopping complex, where an explosion occurred, igniting the fire.
The blaze razed about 20 shops dealing in stationery, computer accessories and clothing materials, leaving traders counting heavy losses.
Men of the Oyo State Fire Service were, however, able to prevent the fire from spreading to the General Post Office and adjoining buildings.
The occupants of the Lexus reportedly escaped unhurt.
Although some eyewitnesses alleged that the occupants were heading towards the Ring Road area before the crash, authorities had yet to officially confirm details surrounding their identities and movement as of the time of filing this report.
When our correspondent visited the scene around 8 a.m. on Sunday, firefighters and security operatives were still at the complex battling the aftermath of the inferno as smoke billowed from sections of the affected structure.
Shop owners and residents gathered at the scene, lamenting the destruction of goods and property.
One of the affected traders, Kingsley Chioma, said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Iyaganku Police Station assured victims that efforts were underway to apprehend the driver.
“We lost goods worth millions of naira to the fire. The DPO assured us that the driver responsible for the incident would be arrested,” Chioma said.
As of the time of filing this report, officials of the Oyo State Fire Service and the police had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
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