TRACKING____ABUJA – AHEAD of 2023 Presidential election, leaders, comprising of traditional rulers and Politicians from Oke – Ogun zone, Oyo State, Monday stormed the National Assembly, Abuja and urged the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan to take a shot at the number one position of the country.
The leaders made the call during their courtesy visit to Lawan Monday after attending the public hearing on a bill seeking for the establishment of Federal University of Agriculture and Technology Oke – Ogun, Oyo State.
The call on him to contest for the position of President is coming barely twenty-four hours after Lawan denied reports of plans to run for the Presidency, come 2023, just as he described such insinuations as beer parlour talks.
In a statement in Abuja on Saturday by his Special Adviser, Media, Lawan who noted that he will not be distracted by what he termed, false report under reference, said however that it was premature for anybody to be talking now about 2023 when all hands should be on deck against the myriad of challenges that face the country at the moment.
Speaking on behalf of the Oke- Ogun delegation yesterday, Barrister Ahmed Raji ( SAN) told the Senate President that the traditional rulers and political leaders from the zone would be happy if the planned Federal University, is established and Ahmad Lawan becoming the visitor of it in the nearest future.
Raji said, “Mr Senate President, we have followed your trajectory over the years and happy to submit that while in the House of Representatives, you made your impacts felt and in the Senate, you have made your marks.
“The people of Oke- Ogun want you to use such a trajectory in getting the planned Federal University of Agriculture and Technology passed into law and implemented.
“They will be happy to see you as Visitor to the University in the nearest future while our son , Senator Abdulfatahi Buhari serves as the host (Governor).
Raji who lamented that of all the 30 federal Institutions in Oyo State, not a single one is sited in Oke – Ogun despite having 60% of the landmass of the State and 10 out of the 33 local government councils.
He said, ” Mr President, leaders of the Oke – Ogun zone, would be most appreciative if, after the passage of the bill, you grant us the honour of personally delivering it to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.”
Responding, the President of the Senate who noted that agenda of the Ninth Senate forms his focus and not any distraction whatsoever, said, “We have promised Nigerians that the 9th National Assembly will work for them and will not allow ourselves to be detracted from getting that done.
” Every part of the country must have a tertiary institution, the very reason, the bill for Federal University in Oke – Ogun, will be pushed by us with the strong belief that President Buhari will sign it into law being somebody who believes in fairness and justice.
” I wish Senator Buhari well in his future ambition but as for us in the Ninth Assembly, Nigeria and Nigerians remains our focus.”
Aside Senator Buhari and federal lawmakers from Oke – Ogun Zone from the House of Representatives, also present were politicians like the former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu as well as frontline traditional rulers like Okere of Shaki, Oba Khalid Olabisi Oyeniyi, Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba AbdulGaniyu Adekunle Salau, among others.
