By Taofik Adekunle Jimoh (JAAT)

Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the 13th President of the Nigerian Senate, is perceived to be diminishing the Saraki Political Dynasty, which spanned seven decades, from 1979 to 2019.

The most recent cause for concern was the wave of resignations that swept through the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level shortly after Senator Bukola Saraki was appointed Chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee, a position he first assumed in November 2020. This appointment marked his initial involvement in the party after losing reelection in 2019 and losing influence in his home state, Kwara. The committee's mandate was to resolve crises within the party's chapters in Nasarawa, Ekiti, Cross River, and other states.

I read with dismay the list of 27 PDP national leaders, officials, and stakeholders across the country who reportedly resigned from the party on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The list was titled "Mr. Reconciliation, otuka (it scattered) home and away!"

I must express my disappointment and dissatisfaction; Bukola Saraki is failing to live up to the legendary status built around his persona. He resembles a lion past its prime, regaling its grandchildren and neighbors with tales of its former hunting glory.

Even more disheartening would be his return to the APC. Such a move would signify Saraki's acceptance of defeat and his quest for solace and relevance in the camp of his political adversaries. However, as they say, there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics. How naive of me.

The Kwara State chapter of the PDP has also suffered significant losses, with prominent figures resigning, including former state secretary Abdulrazaq Lawal, former Publicity Secretary Prince Tunji Moronfoye, former Women Leader Alhaja Riskat Abdulahi, former Organizing Secretary Hajia Bilikisu Oniyangi, Honourable Abdulmajeed Kayode Olaosebikan alias Irede (Offa PDP stalwart), PDP's 2023 contestant for Oyun/Offa/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Hon Hassan Oyeleke, Kwara North PDP Senatorial Chairman Hon. Shuaibu Jimoh, and many others.

A friend suggested that this might be one of Saraki's strategies to align his supporters with the APC before his potential return. We eagerly await developments.

The popularity of a political party or group is largely determined by the number of influential members and their electoral value. I understand this despite not being a politician or a card-carrying member of any party.

Senator Bukola Saraki holds sway over Kwara PDP. He is still feared—or perhaps revered? All party members await his signal before taking any action. A notable example is the 2023 presidential campaign funds controversy involving the former State youth leader, Prince Haliru Mahmoud Dantsoho. The subsequent "trials of Haliru Mahmoud Dantsoho" and his eventual dismissal by the party (or resignation, as he claims) serve to underscore Saraki's influence for those of us observing from a distance.

It has been half a decade since the Offa Robbery debacle and the "O To Ge Political Tsunami"—as one of my acquaintances describes it—and Saraki's political clout seems to diminish with each passing day. Under Saraki's leadership, Kwara PDP has faltered, while he himself is subjected to ridicule in the Kwara APC circles, with only a handful of supporters defending him.

In politics, silence is not golden! Saraki faced intense scrutiny during the "O To Ge" campaign and amidst allegations surrounding the Offa Robbery of April 2018. Yet, his response—or lack thereof—has been silence, or at best, feeble and unconvincing denials. Even now, he remains silent. Despite vehemently denying any involvement in the Offa robbery, public perception remains tainted, allowing the opposition to capitalize on the situation since 2018. I recently heard a song composed to that effect:

Wọn pa oloyun
Won pa olopa
Won pa ara ilu
Epe ara Offa ni o pa wọn

(They killed pregnant women,
They killed police officers
They killed residents of Offa
It is curses of Offa people that will kill them)

To this day, many remain unconvinced of Bukola Saraki's (and the Abdulfatah Ahmed-led Kwara State Government's) innocence in the matter. It is those close to him, or claiming to be, who propagate the Saraki narrative to the disinterested people of Kwara. When I raised these points with a friend, he remarked, "you know, Saraki is not one for the media." Yet, was this not the same Saraki who was active on TikTok prior to the 2023 elections?

Dear Senator Bukola Saraki, media warfare is an integral part of Nigerian politics now, and your camp seems ill-prepared. For every statement Kwara PDP or Sarakites make, they receive threefold responses from the opposing party. The Kwara APC possesses a larger and more influential media presence. An article can be shared by at least 4 - 5 individuals on average. Consider someone like me, who is a member of at least 20 - 25 Kwara media platforms on WhatsApp—I am inundated with these articles. I'm sure I'm not alone.

The recent exchange between the two parties highlights this disparity. The altercation began with an article by AbdulQuadri Onilemarun Abdul Kareem titled "Like Yahaya Bello, like AbdulRahman Abdulrazak." He was swiftly met with more detailed and informed rebuttals: "Wanted by the Law: Yahaya Bello, the revised edition of Bukola Saraki" by Owodunni Kunle Rasheed and "Yahaya Bello Vs EFCC: Saraki, the name in bed with local and international corruption, tyranny" by Daud Abdullahi. Once again, silence ensued in the Kwara media sphere. The victor of this media battle is evident.

This is without even considering the contributions of the SSA Communications, Abdullateef Egghead. I had to alert my friend Charles in Kwara to the fact that Egghead had released four different articles on Saraki and the Kwara Government within 72 hours.

Today, Saraki's name is tarnished in Kwara. Nobody wants to be associated with it. Kwara PDP ward meetings are dwindling, and members are defecting. Party leaders anxiously await a response from Bukola Saraki—for solace, for hope, for direction. Yet, "the leader" remains silent.

Is this not the same Saraki Political Dynasty that governed Kwara and influenced Nigerian politics from the Second Republic to 2019? Is this not the dynasty that produced three Senators from the same family, two of whom became Senate Leader and Senate President respectively?

The Saraki Dynasty, led by Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, facilitated his senatorial tenure in 1979 and subsequently influenced the appointment of civilian governors for Kwara State: Adamu Attah (1979–1983), Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo (1983–1983), Mohammed Sha'aba Lafiagi (1 January 1992 – November 1993), Mohammed Alabi Lawal (1999 - 2003), his son Abubakar Bukola Saraki MBBS CON (2003 - 2011), Abdulfatah Ahmed (2011 - 2019). This excludes numerous members of the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, senators, and state and federal appointees in between.

In a northern state and male-dominated society, Gbemisola Saraki would be remembered as a former House of Representatives member (Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency), a two-term Kwara Central Senator, a former Kwara gubernatorial candidate under the ACPN, and a former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development and Transportation.

Bukola Saraki needs to chart a new course. 2019 is Saraki’s past. While it's undeniable that the Saraki Dynasty suffered defeats in all elections—presidential, gubernatorial, senate, house of representatives, and house of assembly—Bukola even lost in his Local Government Area and ward. It may be unthinkable, but it happened.

The 2023 election in Kwara should not be the final chapter for the Saraki Dynasty, which has produced kings and kingmakers for seven decades.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki needs to regain his Midas Touch, rather than merely being seen as a privileged son of Olusola Saraki.

As Saro would say in "Anikulapo" the movie: ".....Dìde.....Gbéra nilẹ!"

Taofik Adekunle Jimoh, writes from Offa, Kwara State.

He is the editor of News Bulletin Nigeria, and former Mass Communication lecturer at the Polytechnic Ojoku, Kwara State.

He picked the wrong battle which is BAT

1979-2019 spans 7 decades? Seriously??

Jimsonjaat86:
By Taofik Adekunle Jimoh (JAAT)

Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the 13th President of the Nigerian Senate, is perceived to be diminishing the Saraki Political Dynasty, which spanned seven decades, from 1979 to 2019.

The most recent cause for concern was the wave of resignations that swept through the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level shortly after Senator Bukola Saraki was appointed Chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee, a position he first assumed in November 2020. This appointment marked his initial involvement in the party after losing reelection in 2019 and losing influence in his home state, Kwara. The committee's mandate was to resolve crises within the party's chapters in Nasarawa, Ekiti, Cross River, and other states.

I read with dismay the list of 27 PDP national leaders, officials, and stakeholders across the country who reportedly resigned from the party on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The list was titled "Mr. Reconciliation, otuka (it scattered) home and away!"

I must express my disappointment and dissatisfaction; Bukola Saraki is failing to live up to the legendary status built around his persona. He resembles a lion past its prime, regaling its grandchildren and neighbors with tales of its former hunting glory.

Even more disheartening would be his return to the APC. Such a move would signify Saraki's acceptance of defeat and his quest for solace and relevance in the camp of his political adversaries. However, as they say, there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics. How naive of me.

The Kwara State chapter of the PDP has also suffered significant losses, with prominent figures resigning, including former state secretary Abdulrazaq Lawal, former Publicity Secretary Prince Tunji Moronfoye, former Women Leader Alhaja Riskat Abdulahi, former Organizing Secretary Hajia Bilikisu Oniyangi, Honourable Abdulmajeed Kayode Olaosebikan alias Irede (Offa PDP stalwart), PDP's 2023 contestant for Oyun/Offa/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Hon Hassan Oyeleke, Kwara North PDP Senatorial Chairman Hon. Shuaibu Jimoh, and many others.

A friend suggested that this might be one of Saraki's strategies to align his supporters with the APC before his potential return. We eagerly await developments.

The popularity of a political party or group is largely determined by the number of influential members and their electoral value. I understand this despite not being a politician or a card-carrying member of any party.

Senator Bukola Saraki holds sway over Kwara PDP. He is still feared—or perhaps revered? All party members await his signal before taking any action. A notable example is the 2023 presidential campaign funds controversy involving the former State youth leader, Prince Haliru Mahmoud Dantsoho. The subsequent "trials of Haliru Mahmoud Dantsoho" and his eventual dismissal by the party (or resignation, as he claims) serve to underscore Saraki's influence for those of us observing from a distance.

It has been half a decade since the Offa Robbery debacle and the "O To Ge Political Tsunami"—as one of my acquaintances describes it—and Saraki's political clout seems to diminish with each passing day. Under Saraki's leadership, Kwara PDP has faltered, while he himself is subjected to ridicule in the Kwara APC circles, with only a handful of supporters defending him.

In politics, silence is not golden! Saraki faced intense scrutiny during the "O To Ge" campaign and amidst allegations surrounding the Offa Robbery of April 2018. Yet, his response—or lack thereof—has been silence, or at best, feeble and unconvincing denials. Even now, he remains silent. Despite vehemently denying any involvement in the Offa robbery, public perception remains tainted, allowing the opposition to capitalize on the situation since 2018. I recently heard a song composed to that effect:

Wọn pa oloyun
Won pa olopa
Won pa ara ilu
Epe ara Offa ni o pa wọn

(They killed pregnant women,
They killed police officers
They killed residents of Offa
It is curses of Offa people that will kill them)

To this day, many remain unconvinced of Bukola Saraki's (and the Abdulfatah Ahmed-led Kwara State Government's) innocence in the matter. It is those close to him, or claiming to be, who propagate the Saraki narrative to the disinterested people of Kwara. When I raised these points with a friend, he remarked, "you know, Saraki is not one for the media." Yet, was this not the same Saraki who was active on TikTok prior to the 2023 elections?

Dear Senator Bukola Saraki, media warfare is an integral part of Nigerian politics now, and your camp seems ill-prepared. For every statement Kwara PDP or Sarakites make, they receive threefold responses from the opposing party. The Kwara APC possesses a larger and more influential media presence. An article can be shared by at least 4 - 5 individuals on average. Consider someone like me, who is a member of at least 20 - 25 Kwara media platforms on WhatsApp—I am inundated with these articles. I'm sure I'm not alone.

The recent exchange between the two parties highlights this disparity. The altercation began with an article by AbdulQuadri Onilemarun Abdul Kareem titled "Like Yahaya Bello, like AbdulRahman Abdulrazak." He was swiftly met with more detailed and informed rebuttals: "Wanted by the Law: Yahaya Bello, the revised edition of Bukola Saraki" by Owodunni Kunle Rasheed and "Yahaya Bello Vs EFCC: Saraki, the name in bed with local and international corruption, tyranny" by Daud Abdullahi. Once again, silence ensued in the Kwara media sphere. The victor of this media battle is evident.

This is without even considering the contributions of the SSA Communications, Abdullateef Egghead. I had to alert my friend Charles in Kwara to the fact that Egghead had released four different articles on Saraki and the Kwara Government within 72 hours.

Today, Saraki's name is tarnished in Kwara. Nobody wants to be associated with it. Kwara PDP ward meetings are dwindling, and members are defecting. Party leaders anxiously await a response from Bukola Saraki—for solace, for hope, for direction. Yet, "the leader" remains silent.

Is this not the same Saraki Political Dynasty that governed Kwara and influenced Nigerian politics from the Second Republic to 2019? Is this not the dynasty that produced three Senators from the same family, two of whom became Senate Leader and Senate President respectively?

The Saraki Dynasty, led by Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, facilitated his senatorial tenure in 1979 and subsequently influenced the appointment of civilian governors for Kwara State: Adamu Attah (1979–1983), Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo (1983–1983), Mohammed Sha'aba Lafiagi (1 January 1992 – November 1993), Mohammed Alabi Lawal (1999 - 2003), his son Abubakar Bukola Saraki MBBS CON (2003 - 2011), Abdulfatah Ahmed (2011 - 2019). This excludes numerous members of the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, senators, and state and federal appointees in between.

In a northern state and male-dominated society, Gbemisola Saraki would be remembered as a former House of Representatives member (Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency), a two-term Kwara Central Senator, a former Kwara gubernatorial candidate under the ACPN, and a former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development and Transportation.

Bukola Saraki needs to chart a new course. 2019 is Saraki’s past. While it's undeniable that the Saraki Dynasty suffered defeats in all elections—presidential, gubernatorial, senate, house of representatives, and house of assembly—Bukola even lost in his Local Government Area and ward. It may be unthinkable, but it happened.

The 2023 election in Kwara should not be the final chapter for the Saraki Dynasty, which has produced kings and kingmakers for seven decades.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki needs to regain his Midas Touch, rather than merely being seen as a privileged son of Olusola Saraki.

As Saro would say in "Anikulapo" the movie: ".....Dìde.....Gbéra nilẹ!"

Taofik Adekunle Jimoh, writes from Offa, Kwara State.

He is the editor of News Bulletin Nigeria, and former Mass Communication lecturer at the Polytechnic Ojoku, Kwara State.

Tinubu nah your mate ?

Max24:
Tinubu nah your mate ?

I remember his speech...I WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO DEAL WITH TINUBU IN LAGOS he made in 2019 and 2022 😆

The guy can overestimate himself!