Former Kwara State Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Kayode Sulyman Maja, who also served as Special Adviser on Political Affairs to Senator Bukola Saraki when he was governor of Kwara State, speaks with MOSES ALAO on the ongoing trial of his former boss at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and other issues affecting the state. Excerpts:

THE trial of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) was recently adjourned indefinitely. What is your view on the case?

The trial is ongoing and it is already being handled the way it should; all necessary legal steps are being taken. May God spare our lives, I am sure he will be vindicated. Contrary to the impression presented to the public, this is simply a clear case of power brokers displaying use of power; the intention does not in any way correlate with the action. It is crystal clear that he would not have been facing trial if he is not the Senate President. But those power brokers failed to realise that he got it because God ordained him to be there. Having said that, President Muhammadu Buhari ought to act as a father to all and have a balanced relationship with all the stakeholders. He means well for the country and we know he is capable of taking us to the Promised Land; but he should be wary of possible influences that can make people feel otherwise. The president and other stakeholders should come together as a family and work in unison to provide good governance.

What do you think is the solution to the crisis?

It is simple, the principle of give and take should be applied and it is important that those who believe in using power and state institutions to persecute perceived political enemies should realise and recognise the transient nature of power.

One could see some people leaving your house after prayers; did they come here to pray for Saraki too?

Yes. That has been a regular thing here and we would continue to supplicate to God on his behalf, because he is our symbol; he is our star and we must ensure nothing happens to him. All well-meaning Ilorin indigenes should pray for him, because it is important we do so. It is funny when some people, owing to influence of local politics and interests, would say they wish he is removed. The question is; will he be replaced with a Kwaran not to talk of an Ilorin man? The truth is that Ilorin is like a room, we are all connected one way or the other; that is why there can hardly be a serious political crisis here like you have in other states. You could have a man in APC and the brother to his wife will be in PDP; would the APC man deny his in-law a request?

Therefore, even if you hate Saraki's face and you need a reference letter from the office of the senate president, you could still get it facilitated through an in-law, a friend or a family member. We love Ilorin and Saraki is a pride to the people of Ilorin and we must give him our unalloyed support. He is our son.

But the First Republic Minister, AGF Abdul Razaq once stated that the late Olusola Saraki was not from Ilorin. How true is this position?

We respect our father, AGF Abdul Razaq, being the defunct Northern Region’' first lawyer and Senior Advocate but with due respect, I would say the statement was merely political. If you take time to read the interview, you will realise that it had a lot of loopholes. Firstly, Ilorin indigenes are known to have travelled out of the city either to spread the knowledge of Islam or pursue one business interest or the other. Alhaji Muktar Saraki, the late Olusola Saraki's father, was a very rich and successful businessman and he was based in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

Alhaji Razaq stated in the interview that he was the Nigerian ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire and that he later developed good relationship with Alhaji Muktar Saraki, who was the leader of Nigerians in the country and that during a particular conversation, he told him he was an indigene of Abeokuta, Ogun State, who only came to attend a Quranic school in Ilorin. According to the interview, Alhaji Saraki also told him his son Olusola was then a medical student in London. He further stated that upon graduation, the son met him in Lagos and told him he was returning home to go into politics to contest in the 1964 elections. If truly he was not from Ilorin, Alhaji Razaq would have asked which home? Abeokuta or Ilorin?

He also said he advised Saraki not to contest in the election since the NPC already had a candidate and that he ignored his advice and went ahead to contest. We know how typical Nigerian politicians would do with such a potent weapon to discredit someone in the opposition camp, especially someone who ignored his advice; he would readily have made it an issue that Saraki wasn't from Ilorin. But he didn’t say anything and he wasn’t in the same political boat with Saraki in the Second Republic when Saraki not only emerged the Senate Leader but also the Kwara State’s political leader; yet Alhaji Razaq didn't deem it expedient to grant such interview then or were there no journalists? He didn’t say anything until more than 40 years later when his son, Rahman, was contesting the governorship seat.

Therefore, I will say our respected senior citizen was just playing politics with the issue, because Dr. Olusola Saraki was an illustrious son of Ilorin, from the Agbaji Quarters. The late Wazirin never for once took us to attend events in Abeokuta and we were only in his base in Lagos and Iseyin where his mother hailed from for family events.