Date: 2016-05-02

Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki is a man whose people's oriented initiatives have not only been efficacious to the development of Kwara State but Nigeria at large. His monumental achievements as Governor of Kwara State and a gladiator who stood for truth and better lives of Nigerians in the 7th Senate unarguably resulted his popularity which easily birthed his ascendency of the highly exalted office (Senate Presidency) in June 9, 2015, against the heavy antagonism of the power that be in the All Progressives Congress. I describe his miraculous coasting through as an output of his patriotism to Nigerians as a two-term Chairman of Nigeria Governors' Forum whose leadership prowess was enviable and as the only legislator who spoke to expose the oil cabals, fuel subsidy frauds and many others in the 7th Senate. I strongly opine that if Saraki was corrupt as he is painted by the APC he so much helped to win the 2015 general election by championing the new PDP formation and massively defecting to APC, even as the both chambers of the National Assembly in 2013 and financing some of the party's activities before, during and after the 2015 election, he wouldn't have the audacity to go against Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP, even at the session when dollars and other foreign currencies were flying like birds. How more can we describe an incorruptible and a fearless leader than this?

From time immemorial, all the aspirations of Muslims to clinch the seat since 1960, when Nigeria was created, have always been futile but God the almighty, who upholds Justice and equity at every level, sealed the prayer of Senator Saraki who is a Muslim and crowned his tireless efforts for APC with victory. It's noteworthy that politics isn't religion. The reward for politics is here (on earth) whilst that of religion is hereafter (in heaven). So whosoever is swimming in the pool of gullibility by asserting that Saraki is ambitious should quickly jump up to the pool sore because the day a man stops being ambitious, he is already a dead man living. Saraki is still very young and Nigeria needs his benevolent brain to turn things around for good. We haven't forgotten so soon how his intimacy with the late President Umar Musa Yaradua of the blessed memory was productive for Nigeria. May Allah bless the gentle soul of our late President. The clear difference that the 8th Senate has shown in less than one year, as against the normal past practices, is an attestation to this claim that it's truly not business as usual. Strides like exposition of TSA fraud, abolishing of fixed electricity tariffs, exposition of NASS's TV contract scam, bribe-free ministerial screening, exposition of 2016 budget discrepancies, the openness of the activities of National Assembly through social media, engagement of civil society organization etc by Saraki-led Senate are laudable. If anybody talks down of lawmakers who were elected buying 30 cars for effective and efficient oversight functions, each for 36 millions, he should also condemn ministers who were merely appointed, each going about with convoys, in which the total amount of the cars in a convoy is almost 200 million naira. Who is fooling who? In politics, focus and ambition walk together inseparably. There are always common interests and points of collision which are best resolved diplomatically. If APC is not able to manage its infinitesimal crisis that had its root from the God's endorsed manner in which Saraki emerged as the number three citizen of this nation, then it's not worth regarding as a ruling party of a nation with hundreds of ethnic and cultural strands like Nigeria. Historically, politics of vengeance or vendetta has never helped any nation of this world, instead it either declined or made it stagnant. However, our leaders have resorted into political calumny on those whose political credentials are seen as threat to theirs. They have started the calculation towards 2019 election which most of us can't guarantee our survival in the next minutes. The earlier the Nigeria's political gladiators, especially in the ruling APC, realize Nigerians are in deep suffering under this present administration owing to his perpetual politicking, foreign trips and clueless economic policies, the better for all and sundry.

Success is what everybody prays for in life. It's hence, not good enough for anybody to pray for the downfall of his or her fellow men. Kwara State, which is the stronghold of Saraki's political dynasty which delivered all the elective positions hundred percent to APC, is a state with a strong belief in prayer. Therefore, I urge my fellow Kwarans to be mindful of various blackmails and political Propaganda that are hugely sponsored by the political adversaries of Senator Saraki within and outside the state, rather they should rally round him in prayer and solidarity. Needles to say but it's good for the uninformed, in spite of distractions and Victimization since he became the Senate President, many Kwarans have benefited in terms of legislative aides and federal job appointment and so on. Conversely, his failure should not be our priority. As a Muslim, I so much believe in the saying of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW), "Al'muslim akhu'uli muslimina, khalibuniyani, yashudu ba'aduhu ba'ado", meaning "All Muslims are siblings, just like bricks in the wall in which one part holds another." The continuous goofing of the principal witness, Michael Wetkas, in the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki has only confirmed to the world that CCB and EFCC do not have any evidence against him because it's a pure persecution but were instructed by power up-there to convict him in the court of public opinion. It's high time we Kwarans and indeed Nigerians desisted from cheap blackmails and fictitious tales on the person of the leader of the ruling party in Kwara State and North Central geopolitical zone.

Saidat Ibitoye writes from Ilorin