Ondo South Senatorial by- election: Prof.Dayo Faduyile, a tailored fit replacement
By Steve Ovirih.
Ondo Southern Senatorial District had a Senator who put the District in the news by his cerebral performance in The National Assembly. Never a bench warmer Legislator, he never shied away from flaunting his love for books and scholarly exertion. He is an avid reader, a maverick speech maker and his people’s delight. He is Amb. Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, CFR, immediate past Senator of The Federal Republic and the only Senator appointed by President Bola Tinubu as an Ambassador, understandably an indication of how well the Executive acknowledged his efforts as Chair of the interpaliamentary Committee of the Senate. No greater news could a Senator have made other than being posted abroad as the nation’s Ambassador to The United Nations and Nigerian Head of Mission. His background as an astute scholar in the field of International Relations apparently prepped him up alongside the Doctoral Degrees from Ivy league universities. That is the stuff, the quality stuff the immediate past Senator of Ondo South is made of. And that is the personage the District is yearning for a replacement for at The Red Chamber.
If by standard, a round peg in a round hole is required to fit into the Legislative responsibility of the brainy Senator Jimoh Ibrahim who now holds fort in the UN, a no less cerebral academic and politician will fill in the gap.
Enter Prof. Dayo Faduyile,OON, academic per excellence, Professor of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, a Medical Administrator and a dyed in the wool Progressive and staunch All Progressives Congress, APC stakeholder from Ondo South.
While one does not hold any bias against other contenders for the Ondo South Senatorial by-election already billed for June 20th of this year, one undeniable fact still remains that the seat which Amb. Ibrahim has garnished with his scholarly performance fits better a Professor who has managed the whole gamut of an association of medical doctors on the national level.
And speaking of Prof. Faduyile’s top notch administrative experience, his leadership of Nigeria Medical Association, NMA as national head at a demanding time of a global health emergency easily comes to mind. He made a success of his tenure by his competence at navigating complex tapestry and his leadership competence came to the fore as he proactively collaborated with his executive across board to ensure a massive awareness against the spread of Covid 19 was logically sustained in Nigeria.
Not a stranger to politics, the Crown Prince of Abodi, cradle of Ikaleland, has contributed to participatory democracy as a member of the progressives from time immemorial.
He was in the past administration in Ondo State, a Special Adviser on Health and he was known in the Executive Council for his robust policy articulation for a healthier and stronger Ondo State.
As time approaches to field a candidate to complete the term of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Nigeria’s UN Head of Mission, Prof. Faduyile stands on the threshold of history as the best qualified and tailored fit representative replacement for the seat which great performance as benchmarked by the polished and brilliant Ambassador requires no less a fire brand academic and sterling politician. Faduyile appears far better positioned by experience , academic background , political sagacity and much more leverage to attract further development to the district.
It will be recalled that having declared vacant the Senate seat of Ondo South by The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio over the elevation of Ondo South Senator as an Ambassador, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has officially announced June 20th, 2026 for the by-election to fill up the vacant seat by ‘the Senator’ who will complete the term of the out gone senator whose term lapses May, 2027.
