As the race for 2019 gathers momentum, with ailing President, Muhammadu Buhari, technically out of contention, Nigeria demands and deserves a vibrant, charismatic, and realistic leader; one who would be with the people, unbiased to religion, ethnicity, or political affiliations. We need a fearless and dogged leader, whose primary focus will be the people; a man with a strong force, undaunted by whatever forces, powers, or challenges. A man that will be able to cage the Bola Tinubus of this world.

That man is the current number 3-man in Nigeria, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki. Dr. Saraki has served as the Special Assistant to former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Budget, from 2000 to 2003; governed the great Kwara State for eight years, before being elected into the Nigerian Senate, in 2011.

Saraki continues to advocate for Legislation that will strengthen our institutions, so as to eradicate corruption, misuse of power, and abuse of office.

He is the first Senator in the history Nigeria, to post weekly activities, so Nigerians at large can see, follow, and contribute to what their representatives are doing, both at the Legislative and Constituency levels. Recently, he broke the eight-year budget secrecy in the National Assembly, by opening the budget of the National Assembly, for public scrutiny.

Since the inception of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999, compared to other Assemblies, the 8th Senate stands heads and shoulders above others in many regards, and that is testimony to Dr. Saraki’s leadership.

Saraki, well known for understanding the need to engage the electorate and young people in general via social media, has spread the fever across the Senate, infecting his colleagues.Using various social media platforms judiciously, Saraki has encouraged and achieved a robust Legislature-citizenry interaction, and has consequently, driven the roots of Nigeria’s democracy even deeper.

When Saraki took office on June 9, 2015, he pledged to reform the Senate, and make its processes more transparent, inclusive, and visible. Since then, he tasked the Committee on Rules and Business, to develop an e-Parliamentary system that can be employed at Senate Plenary sessions.

I can recall, that the arrival of the then much anticipated Ministerial list sent by Buhari, was first announced on the Senate’s official social media platform, a move that would have been frowned at in the last dispensation, which treated the media in any form, like a disease.

Before the conclusion of Ministerial screening, the Senate President through his Special Assistant on New Media, Bamikole Omisore, in a statement on October 11, 2015, offered a warm hand of friendship, not just to the media, but even to the citizens. Omisore, announced that Bloggers and news organizations who were interested in live blogging or live tweeting the Ministerial screening, should contact the New Media Office of the Senate President, for entry passes to the National Assembly, and the Senate gallery. Anyone familiar with the National Assembly of old, would know that this is one of the most difficult aspect of doing business there.

“This screening will create an avenue for Nigerians from all works of life to partake in governance, as the bridge between representatives and constituents will be bridged; with Senators asking questions sourced from Nigerians on Social Media.

“Additionally, the submitted resumes of candidates will be made available in the public space, for Nigerians to examine”, Saraki had said.

Nigerians were not left in the dark, as Saraki allowed more participation from Nigerians, by taking questions from the public, via the official Twitter handle of the Senate, @NGRsenate.

During the screening, the National Assembly TV station, which previously had been left to gather dust, was the source of information for different media platforms, which tapped into the feed from the TV station. The Senate’s social media accounts, also gave real time updates that served as good material for many Media houses.

The résumés of the nominees were presented to the public before the screening, to enable those that knew the nominees, raise relevant objections. There was a balance of working to get the President’s nominees passed, and at the same time making sure the Senate was not a rubber stamp body.

A novel innovation was the provision of a sign language interpreter throughout the plenary sessions while Nigerians were able to know virtually all the names of their Ministers, and were able to make contributions on social media.

Before Saraki, operations of the National Assembly were shrouded in secrecy.The Senate’s official Twitter handle was abandoned, the Facebook page moribund, and the citizenry knew nothing about Legislative activities.

Saraki, also “flung the Legislative doors open”, introducing social media networks for citizens participation, in the ongoing formulation of the 8th Senate’s Legislative agenda.

He encouraged individuals, civil societies, and non-governmental agencies, to send in their recommendations, in order to achieve what he described as “a robust and citizens driven Legislative agenda.”He called for input before the final draft of the Legislative Agenda was completed, adding that, citizens’ submissions would guide the affairs of the Senate, throughout his tenure.

Saraki’s open door policy, stands in clear contrast to his predecessor, David Mark, who called for social media censorship, in 2012.

“Social media has become a threat to the ethics of media practice and good governance, because of its accessibility and absolute freedom. Every freedom carries a responsibility. Even in the advanced democracies, where we all agree that good governance is practiced, there is no absolute freedom”, Mark had said.

Continuing, Mark expressed the belief that, “there must be a measure to check the negative tendencies of the social media in our country.

“In the social media, a faceless character can post any information that is absolutely false and misleading, but will never retract it. At the end of the day, one is bombarded with questions over...

READ MORE: http://ikengachronicles.com/2019-sarakis-destiny-with-the-presidency/

By Ikenga! Smh!

Atiku 2019

Baba is technically out of the contest

Saraki is too corrupt to rule Nigeria. We want someone that equals or, at least, close to Baba when it comes to honesty, integrity and personality.

Saraki is the current version of Atiku ................ I choose Saraki eventhough I won't worry if Atiku wins. I like them both like Man United and Real Madrid

Eh

So u want saraki do rule us the way he ruled kwara? No way for corrupt public officer

He is Senate President already.

Nigeria would never diminish to the level of Kwara.

By IKENGA Chronicles.

Smh.

So darn typical.

Always have to support crooks.

But what do I know. Let me come and be going with my bae..

every politician in Nigeria today wants to be a Presidential candidate in 2019

[s]

omenkaLives:
By IKENGA Chronicles.

Smh.

So darn typical.

Always have to support crooks.

But what do I know. Let me come and be going with my bae..

[/s]
much better than those that supports fulani herdsmen against his people
kiss the truth

[s]

raddaaaarad:

much better than those that supports fulani herdsmen against his people
kiss the truth

[/s]
More trash. Always trash.

[s]

ipobsarefools:
[/s]
More trash. Always trash.

Nonsense trash afonjas are useless smelly bastards cone head bastards vagabonds
Tinubu is a bastard
kudirat of cursed memory is a rifraf prostitute
kiss the truth

[s]

raddaaaarad:

Nonsense trash afonjas are useless smelly bastards cone head bastards vagabonds
Tinubu is a bastard
kudirat of cursed memory is a rifraf prostitute
kiss the truth

[/s]
Nonsense trash. The bearded coward Ojukwu is burning in hell fire. Bianca is a confirmed olosho. ffk is greater than Ojukwu, Kanu, zik and all Igbos touts. truth.

Hmm.
While I have nothing against the person of Mr. Saraki, his performance as senate President leaves much to be desired.
It's common knowledge the huge sums consumed by the legislature, one would expect in this time of recession salary/allowances cuts, instead vehicles worth billions of naira are being purchased.

This speaks much to his leadership. At our current socio economic phase we need a prudent leader, someone that's fiscally responsible. Unfortunately Saraki doesn't fit the shoes.

I wish the likes of Sanusi, Nuhu Ribadu, Donald Duke, Bakare, and other men of repute will show interest.

That said if the choice is between Saraki & Buhari, Ill be forced​ to choose the lesser evil, which might end up being the senate President.

[s]

ipobsarefools:
[s][/s]
Nonsense trash. The bearded coward Ojukwu is burning in hell fire. Bianca is a confirmed olosho. ffk is greater than Ojukwu, Kanu, zik and all Igbos touts. truth.

[/s]
Nonsense trash afonjas are useless smelly bastards cone head bastards vagabonds
kiss the truth

Na Igbo people even dey prop up Saraki, perhaps so that Ekweremedu can become his vice. For una mind. Lol. That is when the Northerners will remember the implication of the 'Bukola' in his name and declare him as another Yoruba oppotunist. Yinmu. Kolewerk.