Osun Assembly Speakership Race: OWOEYE or OLATUNJI (must read)

The Osun State House of Assembly is composed of 26 honorable members. 23 honourables are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while 3 honourables are members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). There is no significant push PDP can make in this struggle to the top-seat of the state assembly; hence, the contest is intraparty and recent political plays have shown that the contest is between the current Leader of the House, Hon. Timothy Owoeye from Ijesa and a serving Honourable member, Hon. ‘Lekan Olatunji from Ife.

Below are the profile of both honourables:

TIMOTHY OWOEYE’S PROFILE

Timothy Owoeye was born in an ancient town of ilesa , Osun State, in August 24th 1972.

EDUCATION:
He had his primary education at St. Peter Anglican primary school, Ilesa , Osun State .He attended CAC commercial high School Ilesa, He proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University where he obtained his Diploma in local government studies . He furthered His studies at university of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, where he graduated and had his Bsc in political Science. He has never relent in acquiring knowledge, He badged for his Masters in Peace and Building Development (MPBD) from university of Ibadan.

Career Before politics
Before he joined politics, he worked with a private organization in Lagos and Ogun State. Smith Kline Bechan Plc , before he became the managing Director/chief Executive Officer of Timbuk Nigeria limited.

Political Career
Timothy Owoeye is a grass-root politician and he started his political career as a councilor of ward 10 Ilesa east, Osun State between 1999-2002. He contested for Osun state house of assembly as a member in 2007 till date . Although he has held different positions as Honorable member in the house . He was the minority Leader of the House 2007-2010, AC leader 2010-2011, while Leader of the house between 2011-2015 and became the majority Leader of the house 2015 to 2019.

Some of the responsibilities he has held as an honorable member were ;
chairman campaign committee for re-election for former Governor of State of Osun. Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for Ijesa south federal constituency in 2014

Also, chairman campaign committee for Ijesa South Federal constituency for Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola Governorship’s race in 2018

Currently He is the chairman on Southwest Legislative Reform Implementation Committee (SLRIC) 2017 till date.

Chairman house committee on rules and business 2011 till date

Vice chairman house committee on local government and chieftains office 2007 till date

Member house committee on rural and community Development

House committee on special Duty / regional integration

Timothy Owoeye has actively participated in various seminars, workshops and conferences both at home and abroad such as Leadership for Good governance held in Massachusetts university, USA in 2008 as well as commonwealth parliamentary conferences in Kenya and Tanzania in 2009 and 2010 among others.

OLATUNJI BABATUNDE ‘LEKAN’S PROFILE

State of Osun House of Assembly
Member Representing, Ife North State Constituency
(All Progressives Congress Party)
Legislator, Financial and Development Economics Expert.

Alumni of School of Science, Ile Ife.
Graduate of Computer Science and Engineering,Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.
Masters Degree holder in Business Administration.
Masters Degree in Computer Science (In view)
Professional Membership of:
Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria
Nigeria Computer Society.

Previously worked with Access Bank, Intercontinental Bank, Wema Bank, Union Bank.

Elected into the Osun State House of Assembly in 2015 and re-elected for another term in 2019.

He currently serves as the;

Chairman, House Committee on
Industries, commerce, cooperatives and empowerment.

Vice Chairman, House Committee on
Innovation,Science and Technology.

Member, House Committee on
Finance and Appropriations.

Member, House Committee on Public Accounts.

RESEARCH WORKS / PUBLICATIONS / PRESENTATIONS

Using Government Policies to catalyse entrepreneurship in a developing economy – Lagos Business School, April 2018.

Nexus Between Infrastructure and Economic Development: The Osun Model – October, 2018

Role of the Parliament at the Sub-National level in Driving the Circular Economy – Nigeria Economic Summit Group workshorp, Lagos, August, 2018.

Assessing the rate of Poverty in Nigeria – CNBC Africa, November, 2018.

The role of African Parliamentarian in the Implementation of Paris Agreement on Climate: Challenges and Prospects – Regional Workshop on Climate Change, ECOWAS Parliament, Abuja, 2018.

Focus on the Infrastructure/Economic Development of Osun – Lagos, November, 2018.

Osun Grassroot Economy – Lagos, 2018.

Examining the feasibility and viability of establishment of Microfinance Banks across all local government areas in the country – Ibadan, 2019.

AWARDS
He is a 2018 recipient of the prestigious COWAP award from coalition of wives of presidents and vice presidents in Africa alongside Professor PLO Lumumba of Kenya.

Outstanding Business Development Manager of the year – Wema Bank Plc, 2012.

Best staff of the bank (G300) – Intercontinental Bank, 2007.

Federal Government Scholarship Award, 2003.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
➢ Honesty and Integrity
➢ Efficient manager of men and resources
➢ Good listener with sound presentation skills
➢ Responsible and Accountable
➢ Creative and Ingenious
➢ Hardworking and result oriented

BRIEF
Olatunji Babatunde ‘lekan is a seasoned legislator and one of the new breed of professionals that offered to be part of public service as an antidote to the challenges of governance in Nigeria.

He is a thoroughbred professional in politics with cognate experience in financial management, economy, banking, business development, management and leadership.

Olatunji’s foray into politics was consequent upon his conviction that without the active involvement of visionary men and women of character and capacity, good governance and accountable leadership will remain a mirage.

He therefore ventured into politics from the legislative perspective, with a mindset that the instrument of legislation could be used to produce quality governance.

He is loyal, patriotic, humane, refined, cerebral and a strategic thinker.

Both profile are loaded with experiences but the leadership of the 7th Assembly of Osun State would only witness change in persons in office to replace the old one. Inspite of all, whoever emerges as the speaker, the power still remains within the progressives while the people of Osun will be looking forward to the positive result.