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By Sunday Adepoju
As 2027 general elections draw nearer, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr. Abdul-Fatai Omotayo Buhari, has vowed that he would transform the Oyo State’s agricultural sector to achieve surplus food production, maximum job creation and practical economic prosperity if he becomes governor in 2027.
Dr. Buhari, coming with an avalanche of experiences as a third term senator and one time member of the House of Representatives, currently represents Oyo North Senatorial District in the Red Chamber.
Sen. Buhari, who had also served in different capacities at the state level, made extensive revelations recently while speaking on “Lagbo Oselu”, a political programme aired on Parrot 101.1 FM, Oke Baby, Ogbomoso and co-anchored by Tolu Ikusagba and Lanre Gbadamosi.
There have been debates of who to succeed the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde whose second term in office as governor ends in 2027.
In the state, since the return to democracy in 1999, only Ibadan zone has been producing governors, except only one time that late Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala won in 2007.
Late Lamidi Onaolapo Adesina from Ibadan ruled between 1999 and 2003; Oba Rashidi Ladoja from from Ibadan held sway from 2003 to 2007 while late Adebayo Alao-Akala from Ogbomoso won in 2007 and was there till 2011. After that came another Ibadan man, late Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi from 2011 to 2019 and succeeded by another Ibadan man, Engr. Seyi Makinde whose second term ends in 2027.
Speaking on the inroad to Oyo State governorship seat ahead 2027, Buhari emphasised his desire to transform all the sectors of the state’s economy should be given the chance to contest and win the 2027 Oyo State governorship election.
Buhari harped on the leadership qualities of African leaders like Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, Fidel Castro of Cuba, Muammar Gaddafi of Kenya, Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso who, according to him, were reigning in Africa when he was a student in Ghana back then.
He said, “I was motivated by great leaders like Jerry Rawlings, Muammar Gaddafi, Thomas Sankara, Fidel Castro, among others. I was writing a book entitled ‘The Blue Book”. I patterned the book after Muhammar Gaddafi’s “The Green Book.”
He, however, expressed his gubernatorial desire and said his blueprint for ruling Oyo State is intact and that it would impact positively on the state and better the lives of the citizens.
He chose to only speak on agriculture as one of the pillars of the his would-be government, if God permits.
He stated, “God willing, one of the things I will do as a governor is to have two years’ youth service for our graduates of agriculture (though optional). After the Federal Government’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), we will have the state’s version and during the second year, the government will provide loans for the beneficiaries and buy agricultural equipment for them.
“Their certificates will serve as collateral securities. The government will be paying the salaries of their staff pending the time their businesses will boom. We can start with what we call pilot case with 100 people.
“By the time they succeed, they will access loans from either Bank of Agriculture (BOA) or Bank of Industry (BOI). There will be supervisors for the scheme.”
The paliamentarian, who described the strategy as a replica of Zimbabwe farmers in Kwara, said the plan will improve food production in the state, saying “We can now become the food basket of the nation, like Benue. This is just the tip of the iceberg from my strategies for ruling our dear state.”
Earlier, the Ibapon-born politician, who also dwelled extensively on his current senatorial seat, said all his plan for transforming the state would materialise should the APC throw the governorship to Oyo North Senatorial District.
In the build-up to 2023 elections, Buhari also signified his intention to run for governorship before he eventually stuck to the senatorial race and won for the third term.
He practically ‘boasted’ by challenging all the governorship aspirants in the state on experience.
Born in 1965 in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Dr Buhari, a former apprentice of automobile mechanics in the old days, is an alumnus of the University of Ilorin (graduating with a BSc. in Business Administration in 1985); Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Master in Business Administration in 1993); University of Abuja, Abuja (Doctor of Philosophy Degree, Ph.D, in Public Policy in 2009. Among others, he earned a diploma from Harvard University.
He had worked in the banking industry and other private sector, rising to the top of his career before establishing his company.
Buhari won election into the Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South and Oriire Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives in 2003.
He also served as Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor and later as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters under Governor Ajimobi before winning his current senatorial seat in 2015. As one of the most ranking senators in the Senate, Buhari has held many positions in the Red Chamber.
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