Now that the Certificate of Return has been given to the Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt Hon (Prince) Olakunle Taiwo Oluomo, I think it is high time I dropped this piece for the records.
When the elections of Rt Hon Oluomo was declared inconclusive in the early hours of Sunday, 19th March, 2023, it was like heaven was about to fall. Of the 40 candidates in Ogun state, what could be more worrisome and disturbing than the thought of an election result that is still “hanging?”
This was an election that had seen the present head of Ogun state Hallowed chambers leading with 969 votes. Many of us that had collated our interim results earlier while INEC was still computing its own had started jubilation since the end of the election on the 18th March, 2023.
Rt Hon Oluomo was eventually declared winner around 18.40pm on Saturday, 15th April, 2023 after concluding the only election in ward one, unit 04 on the same day. He defeated his closest rival with a whopping 950 votes.
This is a man who combated both internal and external foes. His internal foes were from people within his party who never aligned with his aspiration but “pretended” to be for him, due to their “short-sightedness.”
His external enemies were obvious -his opponents from other political parties and people who are not from his Constituency but wanted his downfall at all cost because they needed accomplices in the political oblivion that just dawn on them.
For instance, a supposed Honourable member from the eastern part of Ogun State was Live on a radio station based in Ifo One state Constituency to campaign against the Speaker.
It was surprising to hear his voice on air because he failed to secure any party’s ticket for election during the primaries, hence he was not a candidate. Even if he was, the waves of that radio station did not get to Abeokuta, the state capital, talkless of getting to his Constituency.
Hon Oluomo faced alot of Campaign of calumny against his person by political distractors both physically and by proxy.
For the records, this 59 year old prince of Ifoland , had contested election six consecutive times from 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 to 2023. He had contested and lost gallantly, had contested and “won” but was denied even in the Courts and had eventually won four consecutive polls.
Of these periods, this 2023 victory was a landslide despite the temporary setbacks. The people of Ifo spoke with their votes. They took over his re-election and ensured that they returned him into the Hallowed chambers.
Mr Speaker’s philanthropic gestures as well as his attachment to his Constituents gave him the joy he got at the polls.
His preparations for next election usually begin immediately after the result of an election has been declared. He maintains interpersonal relationships with his people, attends to them without any barrier and mixes freely with them. His characters are unlike a politician. How many Nigerian politicians live in the midst of their people after getting to the office?!
His free School Buses for Children in his Constituency is one too many, going by the current cost of Diesel and the consumption rate of the buses. Even when all Buses were burnt during the post-election violence of 2019, he went aborrowing in order to return the transport facilities.
Perhaps these and many others could be reason the Ifo people took over his re-election bid by themselves. They had never had it so good. They wanted him back, undoubtedly.
On the day of the supplementary election for about one thousand five hundred registered voters in unit 04 of Ifo ward one, a sponsored pamphlet was shared to Ifo people by anonymous elements, wherein several unfounded and unsubstantiated claims against Mr Speaker were expressed. Yet, Ifo people were resolute in their decision. They wanted Oluomo back in the House of Assembly.
Is it the Speaker’s Billboards at Abekoko, Ifo that were burnt during the Campaigns by unscrupulous individuals! Only Oluomo’s Campaign boards were destroyed. Nonetheless, Ifo people stood firm with their decision to allow him continue representing them.
Thursday, 16th March, 2023, when the Speaker was rounding off his campaigns in a carnival-like rally across the nooks and crannies of his Constituency, then came a downpour. It was presumed to be a signal of blessing.
To my greatest dismay, the Rt Hon. remained in the open space of the cabstar truck and continued with his Campaign despite the heavy rain.
Another fascinating scenario was his marathon consultations with groups, community, trade and religious. Infact, he gave night appointments for consultative meetings. A case study of his consultative visit to Agosi and Bokuru axis for meeting with community leaders was shocking. The meeting which started around 8.30pm in the open air field ended around 11pm. The energy was divine. Hundreds of residents of this area remained seated till the curtains fell on the programme.
His over a decade comradeship at the “Gani Faweyinmi School of political mentorship” were really manifest in his actions, speeches and thoughts.
For Rt Hon Olakunle Oluomo to have emerged as the first 4th term legislator in Ogun State is not an error neither is it a child’s play. He faced betrayals , dishonesty and greed in no small scale. Yet he won by votes close to a thousand.
It is worthy of mention also that the seven thousand, five hundred and forty six (7, 546) people that gave their votes to him want Consolidation of his representative and leadership achievements geared towards moving the Constituency and the state, at large to an enviable height. These people were not just loyal but honest with their votes and highly dependable.
As Rt Hon Oluomo collected his Certificate of Return from the electoral umpire, it is hoped that the loyalty and resolute commitments of Ifo people towards his electoral victory would be further displayed when governance begins in a month’s time by assisting him in prayers for successful delivery of democratic dividends to the people.
AbdulGhaffar Adeleye, Special Assistant to the Rt. Hon Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly on Media and Publicity wrote in from Ifo, Ogun State.
