By: Busayo Oladeji
One of the beautiful things about democracy is periodic elections. In most countries of the world, the system of government affords the people the opportunity to chose their leaders every four years. The Nigerian electorate will have another chance next year to elect those who will lead the country for another period of four years. It is left for the electors to make either a wise decision or not.
In Nigeria, there is nothing like independent candidature. It is political parties that the country’s constitution gives the right to present candidates for elections. Voters can only choose from those presented by the political parties as their standard bearers. Therefore, the political parties have an important role to play in ensuring the emergence of those who have all it requires to lead the country.
In about two months time, the political parties would have chosen those who will fly their flags in the 2023 general elections. One of the aspirants who are seeking the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest for the seat of Akure South Constituency II in the Ondo State House of Assembly is Ibitoye Oluwole Joseph. Ibitoye has been in the political arena for a long time. But some people may still want to know who Ibitoye is.
Who is Ibitoye? Ibitoye is a native of Akure from Isolo/Oshodi Ward 10. Born some years ago, he attended Saint Anthony RCM primary school, Akure, between 1978 and 1984. He had his secondary education at Akure High School from 1984 to 1990 and Ala Community Comprehensive High School, Idanre. He proceeded to the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, for his tertiary education.
Other institutions he attended include Federal University of Technology, Akure; Global Institute of Project Management (GIPM), Lagos; Pan-Atlantic College of Health Safety and Environmental Management, Lagos, and Chartered Institute of Marketing Management, Ghana.
Ibitoye’s academic and professional qualifications are Primary School Leaving Certificate, Senior Secondary School Certificate, National Diploma in Marketing, Higher National Diploma in Marketing, Professional Certificate in Project Management Technology, Professional Certificate in Basic First Aid and Fire Fighting, and Diploma in Health Safety and Environmental Management (HSE 3). He is a member and associate member of different professional associations.
Ibitoye has worked with some organisations where he left enviable records of hard work, diligence and honesty.
He worked as Supervisor/Ware House Manager at Tominiyi & Sons Nigeria Limited, Akure, between 1991 and 1992; Ware House Manager/Procurement Officer at Olam Nigeria Plc, Lagos, 1998-2002; Quality Inspection Manager at FOTFAT Ventures, Lagos, 2002 – 2004. He is at present Director (Consultancy and Surveying) at PERCENT Nigeria Enterprises, Akure. He is also the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of R.O.S.L Nigeria Limited (Engineering & Construction Company). Ibitoye is the Chairman, Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Ondo State Chapter.
His fish is not new in the river of politics. Ibitoye is a former secretary of the Ondo state chapter of the Progressive People Alliance (PPA) and former state chairman of the New Nigeria Political Party (NNPP), Ondo state chapter. He was a member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ward 10, Akure South. He was also an Akure Constituency II House of Assembly aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019. He has been playing active roles and contributing financially to the APC in Akure South.
Ibitoye has all it takes to represent the people of Constituency II very well in the State House of Assembly. He has the intellectual competence to do it. He is a compassionate politician who does not want others to suffer where he is. Ibitoye is also a problem solver. At a time like this, the country needs problem solvers to occupy positions of authority.
The ball is now in the court of those who will have the responsibility of choosing the candidates of the party in the next few weeks. We pray that God would give them the wisdom and courage to choose the best for the party. And the best among those seeking the APC ticket in Constituency II is Ibitoye.
Yes, Ibitoye is the best in terms of competence, compassion, emotional intelligence and generosity. The representation of Ibitoye will be the birth of a new dawn in Constituency II, Akure South and Ondo state.
