Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Senator Francis Fadahunsi has congratulated former Deputy Governor of Osun State and former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Iyiola Omisore, on his 69th birthday, describing him as a distinguished politician, engineer, reliable brother and patriot whose contributions to the development of Osun State and Nigeria remain significant.
In a goodwill message released on Tuesday, Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate, commended Omisore for his years of public service and commitment to the growth and development of Osun State. He said Omisore's wealth of experience and political exposure had continued to make him an important voice in the affairs of the state and the nation. According to him, Omisore's 69th birthday offered an opportunity to celebrate his achievements, service to the people and contributions to democracy and good governance.
"On behalf of my family, friends and associates, I warmly congratulate my brother and friend, Senator Iyiola Omisore, on his 69th birthday on September 15," Fadahunsi said. "I wish him good health, peace, greater wisdom and many more years of fruitful service to humanity. May God continue to bless him and his family and grant him the grace to witness many more glorious years." The senator also prayed for strength, wisdom and sound health for Omisore as he advances in age and continues to contribute to the development of Osun State and Nigeria.
The tribute adds to a growing chorus of goodwill from across Osun State's political spectrum. Governor Ademola Adeleke, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, described Omisore as a great icon of Osun State and a distinguished son of the soil. "Today, I celebrate Otunba Omisore as a brother and a distinguished son of Osun. I wish him many more years of meaningful impact," Adeleke said. "Through every stage of his remarkable journey, whether as an Engineer, Deputy Governor, Senator, traditional leader, or community builder, he has consistently demonstrated uncommon courage, wisdom, and an enduring commitment to the progress of our people." The governor also celebrated Omisore's traditional stature as the Apesin Oodua of the Source, High Chief Lisa of Osogbo, Basorun of Ijesa Land and Otunba of Ipetumodu, among other titles.
Born on September 15, 1957, in Ile-Ife into a royal family, Omisore has carved out a political career spanning more than two decades. He served as Deputy Governor of Osun State from 1999 to 2003 under Governor Adebisi Akande on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy, before being elected as Senator representing Osun East from 2003 to 2011. He later served as National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress from March 2022 to July 2023, succeeding in a role that placed him at the centre of national party politics during a pivotal period in Nigeria's democratic journey. He holds degrees from the Technology College in Reading, Brunel University London and the International School of Management in Paris, and is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Omisore's 69th birthday celebration at his campaign office in Osogbo on Tuesday drew a large turnout of supporters and political associates. Speaking with journalists at the event, the former Deputy Governor said his political future was in the hands of God, declining to give a definite indication of his next political move. "I thank God for today and I am happy about the large turnout of people who are here to celebrate with me. Today is the day of my birth. I give Almighty God the glory for being alive," Omisore said. "At 69, I count every year as God has been so kind to me. My political future depends on God's plan for me. I am in the hand of God. Whatever His plan for me is good."
His next political move has attracted attention in Osun State following his reported fallout with the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, over the management of the last APC governorship primary. Omisore was among the aspirants disqualified from the party's governorship primaries ahead of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election. He had publicly declared his intention to contest the 2026 governorship election on the platform of the APC, but his disqualification sparked tensions within the party that continue to reverberate. The results of the August 15 governorship poll in the four local government areas in Ife land, regarded as Omisore's stronghold, where the APC lost to the Accord Party of Governor Ademola Adeleke, have also been seen as potentially widening the gulf between him and some party power brokers.
The birthday celebration was attended by representatives of the APC Elder Caucus, the political group of the current APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and the Alubarika Movement, among others. In his exhortation at the event, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, Most Rev. John Oyejola, commended Omisore for supporting church programmes and urged him to continue to serve as a bridge between governance and the gospel. The bishop called on political leaders to work for the common good, warning against the practice of "our people only" politics. "A good leader will introduce and implement policies that help everybody, rich or poor alike. A God-fearing politician can sit in the cabinet, in the House of Assembly, in the council, and still refuse to be involved in corruption and violence," Oyejola said.
The tributes to Omisore come amid a turbulent period in Osun State politics. The APC's defeat in the August 15 governorship election has exposed deep divisions within the party, with factions trading blame over the loss. Some party stakeholders have accused Oyetola of marginalising rival tendencies and weakening grassroots support, allegations he has not publicly addressed in detail. The internal crisis has raised questions about the APC's ability to mount a united challenge in future elections in the state.
For Fadahunsi, the goodwill message to Omisore is a reminder of the enduring relationships that cut across political divides in Osun State. Both men hail from Osun East Senatorial District, and their political trajectories have intersected at various points over the years. Fadahunsi, a retired customs officer who rose to the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General before entering the Senate in 2019, has himself been a subject of political controversy in recent months, facing a recall threat from some constituents over comments made during the governorship election. The APC in the Ijesa axis of Osun East has rejected the recall move and backed his re-election.
As Omisore enters his 70th year, his political future remains a subject of keen speculation in Osun State. Whether he will remain in the APC, seek reconciliation with Oyetola, or chart a new political path is a question only time will answer. But for now, the man who has served as deputy governor, senator and national party secretary is being celebrated not just for the offices he has held, but for the relationships he has built and the service he has rendered. In a political landscape often defined by division and acrimony, the breadth of tributes from figures across party lines is itself a testament to the stature Omisore commands. As Fadahunsi put it, Omisore remains an important voice in the affairs of Osun State and Nigeria — a voice that, at 69, shows no sign of fading.
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