In just a little under four years, Senator Abiru has revolutionised the governance narrative in Lagos East Senatorial District, with his leadership style characterised by a deliberate championing of impactful programmes that seek to uplift the welfare of his people by way of direct interventions and constituency services… Famously referred to as the “Doing Good Senator,” Senator Abiru centred his efforts on three key pillars: legislative responsibilities, empowerment initiatives, and endowment projects.
Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, the chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions in the 10th Senate and the senator representing Lagos East Senatorial district, is a man of extraordinary passion for the development of his people. His pursuit of excellence has driven him to a point where nothing but the best is good enough for him.
Before his sojourn in the Red Chamber, Tokunbo Abiru had carved out a stellar career in banking, ascending to the pinnacle of the managing director of Polaris Bank. He retired in 2020 after lifting the bank from the verge of bankruptcy to enviable heights.
In just a little under four years, Senator Abiru has revolutionised the governance narrative in Lagos East Senatorial District, with his leadership style characterised by a deliberate championing of impactful programmes that seek to uplift the welfare of his people by way of direct interventions and constituency services.
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Famously referred to as the “Doing Good Senator,” Senator Abiru centred his efforts on three key pillars: legislative responsibilities, empowerment initiatives, and endowment projects.
He has implemented these pillars with exceptional results, thereby earning the trust and admiration of his constituents and Nigerians at large .
After inauguration as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 15 December, 2020, Abiru conducted an extensive needs assessment of the people and his district, and this comprehensive human-centred approach ensured that the relevant needs of the grassroots population became an integral part of the decision-making process within Lagos East Senatorial district.
The insights gleaned from this assessment formed the bedrock of his interventions across 98 wards in the 16 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas within Lagos East Senatorial district.
On the legislative pillar, Senator Abiru has championed notable bills including the Copyright Bill, which was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari, alongside the Franchise Regulation Bill, CBN Act Amendment Bill (which has passed the second reading), NDIC Act Amendment Bill (which has also passed the second reading), including several motions relating to the plight of his constituents.
These legislative endeavours are poised to unlock greater economic opportunities for entrepreneurs, particularly within the creative, entertainment, and business sectors.
In response to the devastating socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Abiru launched a targeted financial assistance scheme, which provided direct relief to vulnerable segments of the Lagos East community – the widows, elderly, unemployed youth, persons with disability and women, with over 2,500 beneficiaries receiving monthly credit transfers for over 23 months.
In continuation of his support to vulnerable constituents, the senator launched a quarterly food packs programme for the needy, of which over 25,000 households have since benefited.
To enhance accessibility to constituency services, Senator Abiru established liaison offices in Epe, Kosofe, Ibeju-Lekki, and Shomolu, complementing the main office in Ikorodu.
To enhance the educational pursuits of his constituents, Senator Abiru made significant contributions, ranging from the facilitation of the construction of classrooms, to the modernisation of instructional facilities and provision of bursary for indigent students.
The development of infrastructure has also been a focal point of Senator Abiru’s agenda, and his contribution in this area has been far-reaching and impactful. He successfully enabled the construction of health facilities, sporting arenas, market renovation and roads. Examples of these include the 32-kilometre Ikorodu-Itoikin road that is currently under reconstruction. Senator Abiru also facilitated the installation of power transformers and solar-powered street lights in many communities across the senatorial district.
Abiru equally launched a N300 million constituency intervention revolving loan scheme to enhance local businesses, with quite a lot of small business owners benefitting from the loans advanced at a concessional interest rate of six per cent.
In conjunction with his amiable wife, Mrs Surat Feyisola Abiru, the ‘doing good’ Senator established the SAIL Innovation lab in Ikorodu, with the aim of equipping the youths with information technology skills to help them navigate the ever-changing technological environment. Hundreds of young people have taken advantage of this training to better their lives, and about 106 youths trained at the SAIL laboratory were able to secure decent jobs in artificial intelligence with Awarri AI last year.
Senator Abiru is a perfect example of how political leaders can impact their environment, little wonder he’s been able to earn the trust and admiration of his people in so short a time, while his commitment, passion, forthrightness and purposeful leadership skills have ensured for him a place in the sun.
As Senator Abiru hits a significant milestone today, I dare say diamond looks good on him. May he find hope in every challenge, pride in every accomplishment and may every step he takes into the future engender fulfillment.
Enitan Olukotun, the media aide to Senator Abiru, writes in from Lagos.
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