By Ibrahim Oloriegbe: Five things you should know about the man who defeated Bukola Saraki
It is no longer news that Senate President, Bukola Saraki will not be returning to the senate. The former Governor of Kwara State who is also the political godfather of the state was shockingly defeated as he sort to return to the Senate for the third time.
His conqueror although quite popular in Kwara and its environs however remain largely unknown to many.
See also: NigeriaDecides2019: Kwara Central Ends Saraki’s Reign, Elects Oloriegbe As Senator
BlackBox Nigeria brings you five quick facts about the man, Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe…
- Like Saraki, Ibrahim Oloriegbe is a medical doctor. He studied Medicine at the Ahmadu Bello University graduating over 30 years ago.
- In 1999, he was elected into the Kwara State House of Assembly under the flagship of the All Nigeria’s Peoples Party. He was the Majority Leader of the House between 1999 and 2003.
- His opposition to Saraki started in 2011 when they both contested for the Kwara Central senatorial seat. Saraki was at the time the incumbent Governor of the state and he contested under the PDP while Oloriegbe was the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Saraki was declared winner of the election although Oloriegbe claims he actually won but was robbed.
- Ibrahim Oloriegbe vowed to not just defeat Saraki but also retire him from politics. At a press briefing earlier this year, he was quoted to have declared…
“They are political voyagers and power merchants. They don’t share our Islamic values and culture of leadership. Our communities and indeed, Kwara state have been poorly represented at the federal level; poor representation and advocacy has deprived us of legitimate human, fiscal, economic and developmental entitlements.”
5. In the just announced result, Ibrahim Oloriegbe massively defeated Senate President Bukola Saraki polling 123,808 while the Senate President got only 68,994 votes. The result was announced by the INEC Senatorial Returning Officer, Professor Olatunbosun Owoyomi.
