TOPE FAYEHUN in this report takes a look at what led to the depletion of political structure of the outgoing Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in Kwara State
For many years, the name Saraki rings a bell in political scene across Kwara state.
But this political dominance in Kwara state was depleted at the just concluded general elections when the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) truncated the bid of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki to return to the national assembly.
Beyond that, the party also ensured that his governorship candidate in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and others vying for various elective offices lost to the APC.
No doubt about the fact that Saraki political dynasty which includes the political structure of his late father, Dr. Olusola Saraki, a Second Republic Senate Leader and generalissimo of Kwara politics as well as his own had for decades been a hard nut to crack .
The Sarakis had before now been regarded as a political maestro with a near 100% record in winning elections on any political platform they may have contested.
The journey to this unceremonious end to their political dominance in the state started when the young Saraki last year dumped the ruling APC for the opposition PDP, immediately the Supreme Court discharged him of asset declaration case.
Some analysts posited that his success reached a peak when he defied his late father’s political power and led the campaign to outwit the combined forces of his father, and his sister, Senator Gbemisola Saraki in 2011.
But some insisted that it was because of his serial defections and poor performance of the governor he installed that he lost his relevance and consequently lost at the last poll.
Since he could not secure his re-election to the senate, definitely, none of his followers could also escape the judgement of the electorate.
However, when he initially defected to the PDP, the thought in the mind of the pundits was that the coming election in the state would be tough between the gladiators in the state, but the reverse was the case.
The one time power broker in Kwara politics was shocked when the results of all the elections, presidential, national assembly, governorship and state assembly started trickling in. No doubt, Saraki must have tried to pull some strings to ensure that he maintained his dominance in the state’s politics arena but the forces against him and his foot solders were too powerful
Abruptly, all his established political structures since 1999 were uprooted in the last general elections by those he thought didnot matter in the political space of the state .
Unfortunately, the once dictating factor was now striped naked of positions at the national, state and even at the local government levels. How this development happened still remained a mystery to so many political observers both at the state in particular, and across the country in general.
According to pundits, his political relegation was planned and hatchet by people of the state with the backing of those who wine and dine at the seat of power. Whilst many of those angling for his exit would pass as mere detractors, others were elite, who sat in the comfort of their homes in different parts of the world and watched their prayers answered.
It is very easy to conclude that those who actually pulled the strings are not the ones shouting ‘O to ge’, but those who sat somewhere in the dark and ensured that they used all the necessary force to bring down his political ego in the ‘State of Harmony’. According to analysts,” the movement was the cover; the real plan was insidiously orchestrated and pushed to fruition.”
Pointedly, analysts observed that those who actually caused the temporary collapse of the Saraki political dynasty would soon come out to ensure that they have their proper share of the spoil of power.
Despite being on sabbatical leave in the politics of Kwara now, some are still boasting that they will surely burry him politically, so that he will never be relevant again in the politics of the state. However, those angling for his fall didn’t hide their disdain for him.
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To some, his sins was that he openly advised the ruling party which he helped to install, to embrace an all-inclusive government, based on justice in which offices are properly shared among the legacy groups that formed it.
Also, many said his offence was that he challenged the supremacy of the party by forcing his way to the Senate Presidency. This singular act, many of the president’s men believed that he used the position to witch-hunt the president and consequently carried out a coup against the policy of the present adminstration. To them, the offence is unforgivable.
Hence, they openly assaulted him throughout his tenure, often without regards to the rule of law and constitutionalism. At their inner minds, they know that the outgoing senate president was only rooting for the independence of the legislature and the judiciary with inherent checks and balances as separate arms of government particularly, in a presidential system of government.
They also know that Saraki always canvassed for inclusiveness and justice in a multi-ethnic modern state as well as the need to develop system and institutions as against building individuals, while seeking the need for a virile opposition in a democracy.
But they considered his position rude to the ruling APC, hence, created an opposition within in the National Assembly with a notion that Saraki is preventing them from benefitting from the weakness of the National Assembly.
However, they quickly see his movement to the opposition PDP where he also contested for the presidential ticket, before becoming the Director General of the campaigns of the leading opposition candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku as an affront and consequently moved against him openly .
Pundits said ,” APC was all out against him menacingly. From massive security deployment to indulging the APC in the state and deploying a police commissioner of choice, it required no spiritual consultation before determining where the election was headed.
“In fact, one of the incumbent senators from the state, who was a candidate in the election, Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South) was arrested on the eve of the polls and was only released after the elections. Many other foot soldiers of the Saraki political machine allegedly suffered similar fate, while others scampered to safety. And you thought he was fairly defeated?
“With obvious official backing, which guaranteed the APC could get away with ‘blue murder’, the Saraki group was simply overwhelmed, forcing the structure to yield and of course, that paved the way for the APC victory and celebration.”
However, instead of fighting dirty, Saraki chose to stand on better grounds of decency and maturity by he accepting his fate and took the defeat in his stride.
He took the defeat in good fate and hurriedly congratulated the winners and wishing them best of luck. Since then, the outgoing Senate President maintained his decorum and returned to Abuja, to complete his current mandate.
Although, pundits said he might have his short comings, which might have aided the Kwara invasion, including the not-so-impressive performance of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed in almost eight years, Saraki is not the devil that his adversaries struggle to paint.
However, Saraki has set a high standard in civilised politics that will be difficult to meet if not careful. No doubt he remains the most smart, intelligent, urbane and cosmopolitan Nigerian politician with a secure place in the nearest future with age on his side .
He also has capacity, efficiency and experience in dealing with every situation . What his persecutors should have at the back of their minds,is that he not only will rise again, he is certainly a material for the future.
Commenting on the development, Ibrahim Shehu, a public affairs analyst argued that Saraki’s current situation in Kwara politics is not natural but orchestrated by those who are determined to get him out at all cost.
“I am very confident that this is temporary. As a political general, all he needs to do is just to go back to the drawing board. His failure to return to the Senate will afford him that ample time to have a deep retrospect on what went wrong and how to correct the situation. One thing is however certain- he will bounce back very soon”, her said.
However, time shall tell whether or not he will be able to weather the storm and come out in the nearest future.
