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.

Ibrahim Agboola Gambari     Moses Rahman Popoola     Baba Isale     GANZY     Olokoba     Salman Jawondo     Olayinka Are     Kwara State Pension Board     Ladi Hassan     Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa     Adesoye College     Abdulquawiy Olododo     Ogbondoroko     Abegunde Goke     KWSUED     Unicontinental Construction Company     IDPU     PAACO-PCL Consortium     KWASEIC     A.O. Belgore     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     Yoruba     Ahmed     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport     Funmilayo Mohammed     Kwara State Branch Of The National Library     Femi Gbajabiamila     HICA     Rex Olawoye     Ilorin Central Mosque     Kwasu     Forgo Battery     Albert Ogunsola     Talaka Parapo     Sanitation Exercise     John Olajide Adedipe     Olokoba Sulyman     SUBEB     Yunus Lawal     Abdulrosheed Okiki     Aliyu Muhammed     Amada Jidda     Olokoba Abdullahi Ayinla     Shehu Jimoh     Dele Belgore     Magaji Nda     Adamu Attah     Yetunde Balogun     Atiku Abubakar     Ilorin Likeminds Foundation     Doyin Agbamu     Press Release     Olabode George Towoju     Toyin Saraki     Kwara TV     Alaiye     Apaola     Post-utme     Akom Construction And Engineering Synergy Ltd     Bashir Adigun     Muhammadu Buhari     Abdulrahman Abdullahi Kayode     Zaratu Umar     Anilelerin     Kaiama     Haliru Yahaya     Usman Rifun     Muhammed Mahe Abdulkadir     Pacify Labs     Salihu Yahaya     Forgo Battery Company Limited     Ayodele Shittu     Cornelius Adebayo     Oko     Abdulbaqi Jimoh     Stephen Fasakin     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Salmon Babatunde Salmon     Okiki     Hausa     Idris Amosa Oladipo Saidu     Lanre Issa-Onilu     Samuel Olusegun Adedayo     Otunba Taiwo Joseph     College Of Education     Abdulrasheed Lafia     Toyin Falola     KWTV     Offa     Kwara 2019     YAKOOYO     Ajasse-Ipo     Gbenga Adebayo     Olatunji Bamgbola     Oniwa     Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund     Ado Bayero     Abdulrahman Onikijipa     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Saad Omo\'ya     Rihanat Ajia     Kale Belgore     Taofeeq Olateju     Elerin Of Erin-Ile     Arandun     NNPP     Alikinla     Baakini     Sheu Ndanusa Usman     Bareke     Umar Sanda Yusuf     Basit Olatunji     JSSCE     Allocation     Hassan A. Saliu     Kwara Volleyball Association     CACOVID     Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs     Suleiman Ajadi     Yunus Lawal     Yahya Mohammed     EndSARS     Joseph Yemi Ajayi     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     Apaola     Bisi Kristien     Usman Rifun     Col. Adedipe     Kemi Adeosun     Aisha Abodunrin Ibrahim     John Olajide Adedipe     Alfa Belgore     Abdulbaqi Jimoh     GAMA     Kunbi Titiloye     Abdulkadir Orire     Salaudeen Oyewale     Kwara 2023     Lotus Bank     Musa Ayinla Yeketi     Ilota     Ileloke     Umar Danladi Shero     Olabode Towoju     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Emir Of Kano     Waziri Yakubu Gobir     Ibrahim Abdulkadir Abikan     Taibat Ayinke Ahmed     Wole Oke     Sabi     Kwara State Fish Farmers Association     Abdullahi Adisa Akodudu     Ohoro Of Shao