Opinion: The Many 'Sins' of Bukola Saraki. By Wale Bakare

Date: 2014-03-27

There’s truth to the saying that old sins cast longer shadows. And as humans, revenge is the ultimate antidote that can be employed to make one feel spite against our transgressors. To stand up shoulder high to the presidency is no mean feat and Bukola Saraki would have been in the best position to lecture us on the challenges that comes with being a whistleblower.

The weapon of revenge is being deployed visibly on a daily basis with an uncommon desperation to clamp down on anyone with the audacity to challenge the present administration and its self-inflicted status quo. For the Jonathanians, Senator Bukola Saraki is a ‘sinner’ who would not go scot-free until he repents to do their biddings. As it stands, the momentum is fast building again and there are indications to believe that Saraki’s ‘old sins’ are somewhat worse, than his ‘new sin’.

Saraki’s travails may have started in 2011 when he voted in support of the botched PDP zoning formula then as the governor of Kwara and chairman board of Governor’s forum and his subsequent declaration to run for the presidency in the 2011general election. A consensus was eventually reached; the gladiators involved sheath their swords to ensure that Goodluck Jonathan emerged victorious. In 2012, Senator Bukola Saraki was in the news again, this time; the subject of discourse was one that will affect the future of the unborn generation.

Saraki had uncovered the biggest fraud in the history of the downstream sector.   Jonathan’s administration had spent a whooping 1.2trillion on subsidy without any traces of development. This in-depth investigation of the oil subsidy scheme went down as one of the biggest oversight function of the legislative arm for that budget year.  Saraki soon became a target of the oil cabal with the emergency interest and resurrection of his activities as governor of Kwara State.

Undoubtedly, Saraki’s overtly opinionated view is responsible for series of events that has left him as one of the frequent visitors to the anti-graft agencies annex. The allegations against him and the quasi drama that follows remind one of a ‘season film’ that may never end as a result of the different intrigues that unfolds from the last episodes.

Having scaled through the rigorous drilling and questioning for the umpteenth time at the police invitation without a clear verdict, one would expect the former governor and now Senator to go quiet and avoid issues that may pitch him against his adversaries, rather; he has continued to remain vocal using his voice as a weapon to correct the ills on national issues.

Just recently, Bukola Saraki spotted some loopholes in the 2014 Budget where he raised alarm on the N700 million daily budgeted for Kerosene subsidy, which he described as unsustainable. Saraki’s interview on ChannelsTv Sunrise programme of February 6, 2014 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGnhnnxU1FU) also gives a clear insight into the genesis of his perceived fissure with the GEJ led administration.

The defection of Bukola Saraki and the current governor of Kwara State Ahmed Abdul-fatahi alongside the national assembly and the entire party structure to the opposition party is another source of growing headache to the Jonathan’s camp and the reaction afterwards was long overdue. The substitution of the PDP Local government’s nomination list conducted by the state’s chapter of the party with relatively unknown aspirants from Abuja would eventually turn to be a disastrous decision that could prove  costly for the ruling PDP with the total takeover of the party by the Saraki led APC.

Again, Saraki was at the front burner to condemn the presidency for sacking the erstwhile CBN governor in an unceremonious manner. His views corroborate those of the majority who encouraged Sanusi to challenge his unconstitutional removal from the court despite his insistence not to return to office regardless of the outcome.

As if that was not enough a denegation, in an old fashioned style the minister of sport despite his glowing achievements was booted out of office as a result of his perceived allegiance to Bukola Saraki. Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi was the sacrificial lamb used to settles scores and even out permutations in Kwara ahead of the Jonathans 2015 ambition. In a swift reaction, the Chairman Senate Committee on the Environment Abubakar Bukola Saraki in a statement to the press said ‘’It is shameful that Bolaji Abdullahi was relieved of his duty as minister mainly because of politics and certainly not for non-performance. It is disappointing that in the interest of politics we have compromised, and invariably denied our nation the progress it deserves’’.

Other issues such as the increasing level of government’s excessive spending, the incessant attacks on the lives of innocent citizen and the lack of regard for the rule of law  are but a few of his sins – for exercising his fundamental human right. From Bukola Saraki’s response to these allegations of outspokenness, it is clear he enjoys every bit of it.

While there are no precursors that the Senator representing Kwara Central will surrender his objective stand for a slice in the largesse, it also goes without saying that the powers that be will continue the hound game perhaps until the 2015 elections are settled.

Wale Bakare is a writer at BailiffAfrica and Founder - MediaFactory

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ilesha Gwanara Road     Ishaq Oloyede     FERMA     NNPP     Olabanji Orilonishe     Rachael Obisesan     IQRA College     Kwara Volleyball Association     Arandun     Bello Oyedepo     Oba Mogaji Abdulkadir     Ramadan     YAKOOYO     Olaoye B. Felix     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Yusuf Mubarak     Isiaq Khadeejah     Tunde Akanbi     Twitter     Alfa Modibo Belgore     Afolabi-Oshatimehin     Gobir Organization Foundation     Hamidat Sulyman-Yusuf     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Egbewole     Aishatu Ahmed Gobir     Ajase-Ipo     S.O. Opowoye     Mustapha Akanbi     Mohammed Lawal     Oloriegbe     Ayobami Seriki     IHS Towers     Doyin Agbamu     Elerin Of Adanla Irese     Ronke Adeyemi     NFAI     NaAllah     Federal Polytechnic Offa     AGF Abdulrazaq     Tayo Awodiji     Malete     Paul Odama     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Laolu Saraki     Local Government Pension Board     Okin High School     A.G.F Abdulrasaq     Okin Malt     Muritala Awodun     Senate Presidency     Oyeyemi Olasumbo Florence     AbdulGaniyu Kareem     Abdullahi Samari     Saheed Popoola     Erubu     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria     National Democratic Congress     Kwara State Pension Board     Oba Abdulrahim     Owu Fall     Omu Aran     Kazeem Gbolagade     Abdulwahab Olarewaju Issa     Shehu Alimi Foundation For Peace And Development     Jaigbade Alao     Femi Agbaje     Omupo     Olaiya Lawal     Yusuf Lanre Badmas     Abdulrahman Abdulrasak     UNILORIN Alumni     PAACO-PCL Consortium     United Nigeria Airline     General Hospital, Offa     Ayedun    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ojo Isekuse     A.G.F Abdulrasaq     IsDB     Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh     Jaiz Bank     Ademola Kiyesola     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Suleiman Abubakar     Saliu Alamoyo     Ajia-Bako     Abdulrahman Iliasu     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Solomon Edojah     Wahab Abayawo     Bolakale Kawu     Modupe Oluwole     Christian Association Of Nigeria     Aliyu Adebayo     Oniyangi Kunle Sulaiman     NYSC     Saliu Ajia     Afolasade Opeyemi Kemi     Salihu Yahaya     Ridwan Agboola     Peculiar Allowance     Elections     Elerinjare     Aremu Odolaye     Afin Descendants Union Of Odo-Owa     Turaki Of Ilorin     Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital     Quran     Principal Private Secretary     Kumbi Titiloye     Kola Ologbondiyan     Musa Ayinla Yeketi     Alikinla     Bayo Ajia     Emir Of Shonga     Roheemat Hammed     Akanji     Yeketi     National Party Of Nigeria     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Bolaji Aladie     Bashirat Bola Bello     Ilorin Metro Park     Ilorin Curfew     Oniye     Wahab Olasupo Egbewole     Idris Amosa Oladipo Saidu     Ahmed Saidu Rufai     Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation     Peter Amogbonjaye     Oko Erin     Sayomi     Oyedepo     Umar Ahmed Gunu     Kwara State Football Association     Wole Oke     Laolu Saraki     Dan Iya Of Ilorin     Elelu     Clement Yomi Adeboye     Kanu Agabi     Aisha Abodunrin Ibrahim     Dauda Adeniran Adeshola     Saadu Gbogbo Iwe     Shaykh Luqman Jimoh     AbdulRazaq AbduMajeed Alaro     Alanamu     Haleeman Salman     Samuel Adaramola     Aliyu Kora-Sabi     Akume     Mutawali     Yahaya Oloriegbe