A ranking member of the House of Representatives, Hon Abdulraheem Olawuyi, has declared his intention to run for the office of the Speaker of the 10th National Assembly.

A member of the House of Representatives representing Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke Ero federal constituency of Kwara State, Hon. Abdulraheem Olawuyi, has declared his intention to contest the position of the Speaker of the 10th National Assembly.

The lawmaker who is currently the Chairman of the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, is one of the 11 aspirants eyeing Gbajabiamila’s seat.

Olawuyi is an amiable lawmaker and a gentleman per excellence.

Making his Speakership ambition public in Abuja, Olawuyi said he has the vision, experience, competence, humility, and the requisite knowledge to provide required and equitable leadership, that ensures inclusive participation of all members to pilot the affairs of the House and the country.

The third term lawmaker in reeling out his plans if elected Speaker, promised to promote transparency and accountability in the operations of the House of Representatives.

As the aspirants waits with bated breath on the zoning of the position by the All Progressive Congress national leadership, Olawuyi as a loyal party man has said he would abide by the zoning formula if the national assembly leadership position is not zoned to North Central region of the country.

As a legislator, Olawuyi has sponsored impactful bills. Some of the Bills are awaiting the Presidential Assentt and they include, “A Bill for an act to provide for the establishment of the federal Collegeof Nursing and Midwifery, Ayedun, Kwara State, Bill for an act to provide for the regulation of air passengers’ rights and delay and cancellation of Flights in Nigeria and for Related Matters, A Bill for an act to establish Food Processing and Preservation Centres which shall collate, process, preserve agricultural produce into finished or Semi-Finished goods; ensure food security in Nigeria thereby creating employment and for Related Matters (HB 1624).

Others are, “A Bill for an act to provide for the Etablishment of the Federal Collegeof Education, Omu-Aran (Establishment) Bill, 2019 (HB 131) and A Bill for an act to provide for the Establishment of Nigerian Iron and Steel Development Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2019 (Hb130).”

As the Chairman of the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Olawuyi ensures the rapid response of both the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in effectively mitigating the effects of disasters once they occur.

The unprecedented 2022 flooding in Nigeria was another test case in which he showed sterling leadership qualities his swift visits to affected areas and communities and facilitating relief materials to victims across the country.

While ensuring that the Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry effectively provided the victims with relief materials he made a passionate call on the President for more intervention, a plea that received immediate approval by Mr President.

Born in the ancient town of Omu Aran, headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State into a very industrious and business family, Olawuyi usually followed his father on business trips as a young boy. This exposed him to trading very early and provided him with the important field experience that subsequently also propelled him to success in his own business endeavours as an importer and distributor of goods.

In his quest to expand his frontiers of knowledge, young and vasatile Olawuyi proceeded to Tokyo International University, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Science, B.Sc (Hon) degree in International Relations in 1999.

This turned out to be a step up towards greatness in life as he henceforth began to distinguish himself in the business world. Within a short time, he was able to record milestones that soon set him out as an outstanding international business man of high repute in trading and networking.

Due to his interest in politics and international affairs, he again studied International Relations and Diplomacy at the prestigious Baze University, Abuja.

In spite of his sterling successes in the business world, Olawuyi’s desire to impact more on the lives of the people formed the basis of his decision to enter public service, hence giving politics a shot. To this end, he started his political career with the Alliance for Democracy (AD) Lagos State Chapter in 1998, and was a House of Representatives aspirant for Alimosho Federal Constituency in 1999 and then 2003 general elections respectively.

He was soon invited to his state of origin, Kwara, where he was beckoned to play leadership roles in the struggle to reposition the state for greater heights.

By 2010, he had become an household name (AJULO) in Kwara politics. Here, he again seek election as the candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for the Irepodun Constituency of Kwara State House of Assembly in the 2011 general elections.

Thereafter, he was the Chairmanship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Irepodun LGA, Kwara State in 2013. Preparatory to the 2015 General Elections, ebullient Olawuyi again aspired to represent the good people of Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency on the platform of the APC, playing a vital role in the success of the Party at the 2015 polls.

In 2018, Olawuyi was at the vanguard of the O’toge Movement in Kwara State politics in pursuance of changing the political landscape by returning power to the people to decide who leads them.

By then, he had become a strong stakeholder in the state’s political machinery. It was thus not surprising that, in the bye-election of 17th November 2018 for the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency, he got the APC ticket to contest for the seat.

His subsequent victory marked a turning point in the state politics as it symbolised the breath of a fresh air. Consequently, in the 2019 general elections, his people-oriented political pattern facilitated his re-election into the National Assembly for a second term.