By Muftau Gbadegesin
Out of 5 electoral contests, Distinguished Senator Buhari AbdulFatai Ph.D has defeated his opponents at 4 different times. First in 2003. Then in 2015, 2019 and 2023. That makes him the most credible and bankable candidate to lead the APC to its much anticipated victory in 2027.
The only time he lost was in 2007. And that was due to the political abracadabra of the late Adebayo Alao-Akala. On Saturday, 21st April 2007, the Presidential and National Assembly election was conducted. Of course, Senator Fatai Buhari stood in that election that had him as the likely winner. But somehow, the election got paused half way to the end.
The following Monday, 23rd April, when the exercise continued, the wheel of continuity had been stolen and the voices of the people had been sandbagged. Of course, never underestimate the power of PDP in those dark and heart wrenching years.
Four years earlier in 2003, Senator Buhari had made a name for himself by winning the Ogbomoso North, South and Orire Federal Constituency with an uncommon zeal.
Losing an election that was almost under the belt would have devastated many politicians. Not Senator Fatai Buhari. He calmed his supporters, assured them of a brighter future and told them to be gracious in defeat. From that moment, he went on to focus on his business while bagging a Doctorate degree in business administration from the University of Abuja in the process.
Appointed by the late Abiola Ajimobi, first as Special Adviser and later the Commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Senator Fatai Buhari’s stratospheric rise has been an exercise in adaptive leadership and committed stewardship. Highly strategic, open minded and humble, Senator Fatai Buhari’s political journey is definitely one for the history books.
Apart from shattering the myth of one time Senator in the history of Oyo North, he has also become the only Senator to have won election in three successive times. Unlike Senator Teslim Folarin’s 2007, 2011 and 2019 electoral trajectory.
From the available record, no Senator in the history of Oyo State has had his/her bill for the establishment of a federal institution(s) assented to by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Senator Fatai Buhari is the first. Numero Uno. Primus inter pares.
In Oke-Ogun, the era of crying over lack of any federal presence in the region has finally and virtually ended. Thanks in large part of the visionary leadership of the Distinguished Senator Fatai Buhari whose tireless work birthed the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Okeho.
In human capacity development, no Senator in the state comes close. He’s the most unassuming, quietly performing and remarkably successful political Titan.
While other contenders take pride in their hometown as the race for the APC gubernatorial ticket gather steam, Senator Fatai Buhari only takes pride in his unblemished character, unmatched competence and unflinching capacity.
