Saraki @ 59: A Blend of Principles and Patriotism

Bukola Saraki the 8th president turns 59 years in few days time. Going by the age of old brigades in the Nigeria political field he falls into the youth age bracket. However despite his youthful years he has navigated and actively participated at great length and depth in the nation’s political spectrum with remarkable imprints of excellent achievements even with all the land mines and banana pills. As the sole heirloom of an impressive political heritage labored by his late father Dr Olusola Saraki in the formation years of post-independence Nigeria political system the former senate president inherited a political tradition which allows for improvement.

Indeed and as subsequent years revealed, the younger saraki proved that he is capable of sliding into the space of political heritage with some impressive marks of improvement. This should reasonably explain the splendid array of his superior ranking in political mentorship, bridge-building, inclusiveness, sagacity, team-play and clear-sightedness. What more –that he was the chairman of the reconciliation committee of the Peoples Democratic Party whose foresight brought together various groups with conflicting interest and laid to rest intraparty squabbles in the party as a prelude to the hitch-free show cases the unifying personality that he is.

Casting a reflection on his outstanding achievements in the years of his involvement in politics in spite of the storm generated to obstruct his rise unveils a personality that epitomizes a puzzling enigma of resilience, tenacity and purpose. Not a few would agree that the orchestrated distraction enabled him to dissolve into a formidable force in the Nigeria political system. To survive the treacherous terrain of Nigeria political landscape takes more than ‘the ordinary’-a lot would invariably depend on exceptional idiosyncratic spirit , calculating instincts, experience and fair portion of providence. Armed with a blend of fascinating charisma , deft political tact , discipline and a huge dose of exceptionally calm spirit in times of volatile dirty politics summarizes the picture of an enigma whose light would endure the ravages and bruises of dirty politics .

The operational structure of the political system operated by the current players in the corridors of power breathes a raging fire designed to consume and annihilate any trace of opposition. The level of exposure to the thermal conditions of its cruel fireworks depends on the measure of threat which persons of incredible personal charm and robust political leadership flairs pose to the morbid aspirations of its operators. A casual glimpse at the graph of political persecution that Saraki experienced in the hands of masters of politics of bitterness reveals a scary trajectory of mindless crudity in style; manner and proportion that erases any doubt on the level of threat he poses to the personal interest of those who swore to protect the rights of Nigerians.

The genesis of his travail was all about how and why he became the senate president in the manner that he did which grossly and embarrassingly dressed downed the arrogant plot to pocket the legislature against the spirit and letters of the constitution and politics of inclusion. In response the entire apparatus of state power, thrusted with genocidal vehemence, was deployed to liquidate any trace of his influence in the nation’s political space. Plethora of false stories were generated and sold to the public to justify these actions. What they didn’t tell Nigerians and which the people have now come to know presently stares everyone in the face. Furthermore, shortly before the 2019 election, a loose militant combatant was carved out of the ruling political party with active connivance of the highest echelon of the party and charged with the singular task of making sure that saraki never returns to the senate. To this effect, a leading member of the party’s national leadership adopted the task as a personal ambition and boasted before the entire nation of the desire to see it to conclusion.

Unfortunately for him but as comeuppance which exposed the lies and hypocrisy, the said individual has been consumed by fiery intraparty wars. Various false narratives sweetened with malicious clichés of smooth talkers dominated public space. The larger public and party members alike were maneuvered and conditioned to believe a one story line which sees Saraki as the black sheep in the party, leaving barely enough room and reason to reflect on the option that Saraki was only bent on upholding the sacred democratic principles of using the senate as a check against the executive while he held sway as the senate president.

So harsh and crude were the onslaught in scale and proportion that This Day newspaper boldly reflected a political quote on Saraki’s travail on page 71 of its edition of 5/8/2018 which reads : “At some point in the political history of this country, there will be the need for a dedicated study of the current president of the senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, not just in terms of his political wisdom or native intelligence, but the nature of his demeanor, which allows him to remain extremely calm and calculated in the face of crisis, no matter the extent of provocation” . With philosophical exactitude, his close aides witnessed firsthand, his resilient and forgiving nature as aptly worded above by This day Newspaper. When the fury and dimension of intimidation soared to the new heights, he summoned us and cautioned that we should never respond to any of the provocations because he sees the president as his father and won’t be a party to violating the sanctity of the presidency for cheap political scores.

It’s a scared truism that we get to know the worth of individuals under trying period –the best in a person which the world never knew comes into view during his trying and difficult moments. Nigerians now realize that they were sold the laughable story that the cloudy maneuvers and persecution of Saraki were meant to halt the disservice that he posed to the patriotic disposition of the central leadership. Since the scale has fallen off the eyes and the truth about Saraki has been revealed, a wave of nostalgic reflection easily resurfaces to capture his memorable era in the national assembly. Amidst the confusion and uncertainty in the land he sure would have done differently in nudging the executive to the best standard of governance.

A nation once held together by the strength and spirit of brotherhood, political tolerance, inclusiveness and ethno-religious harmony is now under the verge of splitting asunder as discontent, despondency and disillusion fill the public sphere. Various forms of violent criminality weaved through the acts of dissatisfaction with the mismanagement of our diversity gave rise to agitation for secession from the Nigeria nation. Selective treatment and lack of conviction in handling of those considered as threat to the state emboldened others to pick up arms. kidnapping and various acts of criminality gradually scaled up and metamorphosed into a sophisticated enterprise threatening and endangering our unity and collective well-being .

It should worry every right thinking Nigerian that in all these, those charged with the task of securing the nation against sharing the monopoly of the instruments of coercion with non state actors are still unsure of the proper name that befits these rampaging felons- terrorist or bandits –in spite of their proven capacity to shoot down planes. Nothing illustrates this better than the recent call by governor El-Rufai to the federal government to declare bandits as terrorist. Governor Aminu Masari is the latest to add his voice in calling for a state of emergency in the northern states gripped by insecurity. The disarray in the ranks of the members of ruling party even in serious life threatening issues of national concern is not unconnected to the confusion in the land.

A casual reflection on the way and manner Saraki held and maintained the cohesion of members in the national assembly –particularly the senate which is a micro-unit and a chip from the diversity of the Nigeria nation, despite mountainous loads of trouble heaped on his path proves his unifying and healing personality .In surviving various state-sponsored high-wire impeachment attempts and judicial ambush via several spurious allegations activated through the agency of ant-corruption outfits he earned the trust and loyalty of the legislature and the larger Nigerians. Many are now further convinced of the vindictiveness of those who suffered the brunt of his superior political strategy and purposeful principles for his choice to stand with the people rather than the interest of some cliques in power.

The Division, confusion and despondency that engulfed the nation today, arising from the wrong economic choices and misguided steps of the executive in the economy and security matters are clear indications of an absentee legislature – a quintessential antithetical reality that the legislature which saraki presided upon to robustly hold the executive to its duties is now a shadow of what it was under his reign. The Nation in its present state of disarray, division and insecurity needs a strong personality to lead it out of the woods. This is where Saraki stands. Known for his forgiving spirit and unifying personality with strong pan Nigeria vision –a Saraki president would be a perfect answer to the national question and whose success would qualify him as a top contender for Mo Ibrahim leadership and Nobel peace prize award.

Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu

S A Special Duties

8th President of the Senate

Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki.