Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki, on Monday informed President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo of his desire to contest the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party.



Our correspondent in Abuja learnt that Saraki first had an audience with Jonathan in his Aso Rock office, Abuja, before meeting with Sambo in his Aguda House residence.



The meetings took place hours before the National Working Committee of the PDP summoned an emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee over the guidelines for the party’s primaries.



Although details of Saraki’s discussions with Jonathan and Sambo were sketchy, it was however gathered that he told them that he was also ready to step down as the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.



THE PUNCH learnt from a source close to the meeting between Jonathan and Saraki, that the President did not express surprise at the governor’s information.



The source, who asked not to be named, added that Jonathan, who might declare his presidential ambition on the PDP platform on Saturday, told the governor that he wished him well.



It was further learnt that Saraki might formally declare his intention in Abuja on Friday.



Sources close to the governor said he was considering a serving governor from the South-South as his running mate.



One of the challenges the governor might face is how to convince the North that he is one of them as he is seen as a Yoruba. Kwara State, which he hails from, is one of the 19 northern states.



His father, Senator Olusola Saraki, who contested for the Presidency in 1992 and 1999, faced the same challenge. The development made him to produce two posters with two first names. One bore Olusola, the Yoruba first name he has been known to bear for years; and Abubakar, one of his lesser known given names that would have resonated with voters in the North.



THE PUNCH had reported on Monday that some governors in the NGF and PDP governors were plotting to oust Saraki as their chairman if he decided to vie for the Presidency.



The governors, who are seeking a second term in office, are said to be pro-Jonathan.



Also on Monday, the governors coordinating the presidential ambition of Jonathan in the six geo-political zones met in Abuja to strategise for the PDP presidential primaries.



It was gathered that the meeting took place in the Abuja home of one of them. The governors are Ibrahim Shema, Isa Yuguda, Gabriel Suswam, Gbenga Daniel, Martins Elechi, and Liyel Imoke.



The Ogun State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Sina Kawonise, who confirmed the meeting, told our correspondent in Abeokuta that Daniel had already kick-started the President’s campaign in the South-West.



Jonathan will on Tuesday (today) meet with the Daniel-led campaign team to receive a preliminary report of its visit to stakeholders in the South-West states.



Those met by the team at a closed-door session were the Oyo State Governor, Adebayo Alao Akala, at his Ogbomoso residence; his Osun State counterpart, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola in Osogbo; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.



Meanwhile, members of the PDP NWC have called an emergency meeting of the party’s NEC for Wednesday to fine-tune the draft copy of the guidelines for the PDP primaries.



The NWC, which met for more than three hours on Monday, will reconvene on Tuesday after an audience with Jonathan in the Presidential Villa.



The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prof. Rufai Alkali, in a text message to one of our correspondents, confirmed the Wednesday NEC meeting.



The text message reads, “An emergency meeting of the NEC of the PDP is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, September 15, 2010.



“The time of the meeting is noon. All members of NEC are expected at the meeting.”



THE PUNCH gathered on Monday night that the NEC meeting might cause a setback for the planned presidential declaration of a former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) on Wednesday.



Our correspondents learnt that PDP stalwarts loyal to Babangida might decide to be at the NEC meeting rather than the declaration rally.



Meanwhile, men of the State Security Services were at the campaign office of the former dictator, on Monday to make inquiry about the security preparation for the rally.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009143543428

The hope of light at the end of the tunnel is close to nigerians with the determination of Dr.Bukola Saraki to take a short at the PDP presidential primaries. It has always been the prayers of those who love this country that Likes of Bukola Saraki, Fashola etc take up the challenge to lead this country, Bayelsa state from the time om DSP alam to the period of Jonathan, one was of the hope that the state will be turned into Singapore with the resources at their disposal, go to lagos and kwara

What has the eediot done for his state that he's apsiring to become nigeria's president. . . .na wao

~Bluetooth:

What has the eediot done for his state that he's apsiring to become nigeria's president. . . .na wao

He built a bridge.

~Bluetooth:

What has the eediot done for his state that he's apsiring to become nigeria's president. . . .na wao

What did OBJ do for his state before aspiring to be president of this country?

There is no criteria in the constitution that you have to do something for your state before you can "aspire" to be president,

Let the masses decide so he is free to aspire, run, contest all he wants thats his business

~Bluetooth:

What has the eediot done for his state that he's apsiring to become nigeria's president. . . .na wao

*******shakes head*******

Interesting to see that Alao-Akala is on Jonathan's camp. Put two and two together, you realize he's been guaranteed a second term.

He's my state governor and everyone knows its a misfortune to have that thieving thug in the state house for one more term. There's something in me that wants to see some people shamed and so I'd love to see a Jonathan presidency in 2011. However, this cannot be at the expense of good governance in Oyo State. The people of Oyo state must consider this and look for an alternative even if its the evil genius.

Too bad but thats the way it has to be.

I believe Saraki has good record with electricity in Kwara.

Let Kwara indigenes tell us more on what he has to offer.

The Saraki guy looks like a gay guy.

I don't think we've started electing gays in Nigeria.

Ibime:

I believe Saraki has good record with electricity in Kwara.

Let Kwara indigenes tell us more on what he has to offer.

Na state government dey give light? Except for some SS states, the state govt is irrelevant in this area.

Saraki brought some zimbabwean farmers and got some people to be sweeping major streets in Ilorin, apart from this there is nothing else to show for his eight years. His father sure has the entire state in his pocket hence bukola need not perform as governor.

I somehow still have this feeling the kwara will go to GEJ, because the hausa/fulani are set to make the sarakis know that they are yorubas and can only be coopted to achieve hausa/fulani agenda and not that they(sarakis) can use up any slot meant for the north.

Olusola saraki is likely to get upset as things unfold and possibly go with OBJ GEJ.

@ na-so

The Saraki's are not Yoruba,but Fulani. They are Yoruba Fulani, the same way you have Hausa Fulani. Even the Emir of Illorin has a Yoruba name 'Kolapo', but he is Fulani.

^^^^^
There's nothing like Yoruba-Fulani. Neither is there anything really like Hausa-Fulani. The latter is a political marriage. You should know that sir.
The Emir of Ilorin having a Yoruba name doesn't make him less of a Fulani man. The fact that his ancestors may have inter-married doesn't too. Maybe you don't know most African societies are patrilineal.

komando.:

@ na-so

The Saraki's are not Yoruba,but Fulani. They are Yoruba Fulani, the same way you have Hausa Fulani. Even the Emir of Illorin has a Yoruba name 'Kolapo', but he is Fulani.

Tell me this is a mild attempt at comedy. Yoruba fulani ko, yoruba arab ni. Ok me self be ijaw fulani

What I am sayin is that Saraki is a Fulani man. Chikena! That his name is Bukola doesn't make him less Fulani than Yar A'dua or Shagari.

^^^^^^^^^^

Saraki is 100% yoruba his roots have been traced to isehin. stop deceiving yourself.

@ na-so
You might as well say Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers is also 100% Yoruba. Thanks to google.com, your lie about Saraki not being Fulani will not survive past the next finger taps of many curious Nairalanders.

na_so:

^^^^^^^^^^

Saraki is 100% yoruba his roots have been traced to isehin. stop deceiving yourself.

Saraki is 100% Fulani. He has said it over and over, rejecting strongly any attempt to make him Yoruba overnight.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-311183.0.html

Thank you Akin-Egba.

Akin-Egba:

Saraki is 100% Fulani. He has said it over and over, rejecting strongly any attempt to make him Yoruba overnight.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-311183.0.html

100% fulani make i laugh na election time be this.

What is most important now is where the core north believe saraki is from , not all this his mali claims. someone that says he is fulani but lives in a a predominantly yoruba community , therefore decide to name all his children, olubukola saraki, gbemisola saraki, oyinkansola saraki, toyin saraki

^^^^^^
Way before election time, Saraki has maintained his Fulaniness. Zik's first son is named Bamidele, does that make him Yoruba? Okadigbo's son is named pharoah, does that make him an Egyptian? My own first name is English, does than make me an English man? Ilorin may be predominantly Yoruba, but its leadership has always been fulani. The Sarakis are among those.

Akin-Egba:

^^^^^^
Way before election time, Saraki has maintained his Fulaniness. Zik's first son is named Bamidele, does that make him Yoruba? Okadigbo's son is named pharoah, does that make him an Egyptian? My own first name is English, does than make me an English man? Ilorin may be predominantly Yoruba, but its leadership has always been fulani. The Sarakis are among those.

What are you talking about , is bamidele one of the names or the first official name ? we are talking about all saraki's children and you are stating isolated cases here. abeg use logic well jare.

[size=14pt]If a present day Malian were to raise his child in Ilorin today, definitely that child would speak Yoruba. Does that make the Malian a Yoruba man? Are you people arguing these unbalance and skew arguments saying Igbo’s who grew up in Lagos and are fluent in the Yoruba language, are they Yoruba’s?

The Saraki’s are what they claim to be,  just because they grew up in Ilorin does not make them Yoruba’s,  that is not to say that there are no indigenous people of the city of Ilorin who are Yoruba’s,  in fact the Yoruba’s are the majority but also the Hausa/Fulani’s are also an integral part of the Ilorin community[/size]

Onlytruth:

The Saraki guy looks like a gay guy.  

I don't think we've started electing gays in Nigeria.

Na wah you must be a gay to know that Saraki is one.

@ na-so
The Sarakis are not the only Fulanis in Illorin that give their children Yoruba names.Even the Emir himself has a Yoruba name, Kolapo. His daughter who is contesting for the governorship is named Bilkisu. The Fulanis have always been skilled at mixing in, and it helps them a lot.

@knowall

what is most important is how the hausa/fulani man up north sees saraki and north necessarily his claims. Sunday awoniyi also had his claims but the fulanis knew better. my question now is very simple: . How does the fulani man in katsina see Saraki? ANSWER: he is far less than  a banza bakwai .

komando.:

@ na-so
The Sarakis are not the only Fulanis in Illorin that give their children Yoruba names.Even the Emir himself has a Yoruba name, Kolapo. His daughter who is contesting for the governorship is named[b] Bilkisu[/b]. The Fulanis have always been skilled at mixing in, and it helps them a lot.

so bilikisu don be yoruba name now?

komando.:

@ na-so
The Sarakis are not the only Fulanis in Illorin that give their children Yoruba names.Even the Emir himself has a Yoruba name, Kolapo. His daughter who is contesting for the governorship is named Bilkisu. The Fulanis have always been skilled at mixing in, and it helps them a lot.

You guys must understand that there are Fulani all over west and central Africa, and their names depends with region in which they live. So don't try to tell me Saraki has changed his name just to be governor or to contest the presidency of Nigeria. Beside even if he is Arab or Indian he is Nigerian the constitution allows him to run if he feels like doing so.

@ Gayigaskia
Gbam!
The Sarakis are Fulani and Fulanis are good mixers.

Let him contest

i cannot imagine such argument from these kids in this internet land, can someone please justify this man contesting for Presidency, any pictures of his achievement in Kwara State

The Sarakis are Yoruba. The reason they claim otherwise is political expediency. Bukola's mother is Yoruba. His wife is from a prominent Lagos family. His children have Yoruba names. His father, Oloye, when contesting for the Presidency put up two posters with different names: one with his Yoruba name the other with his Arabic name. If he was indeed Fulani like he wants people to believe, he wouldn't give a rat's axx about playing the Yoruba card.


Nobody really knows where these guys are from. Even in Ilorin. People have different tales about the man's origin. Usually, the predominant theory is that he is Yoruba.


Think about it, if he was indeed Fulani, there wouldn't be much controversy about his origin.


Someone alluded to a Hausa-Fulani presence in Ilorin. Thats a white lie. Only the Fulani have any sort of presence in the emirate town. Even at that, the Fulani presence itself is exaggerated. The Nupe, Bokubaru and other small ethnicities far exceed the Fulani's population in Kwara state as a whole. The Fulani there are basically members of the emirate and herdsmen. C'est fini. How many can they be? The Emir gives his official speeches/sermons in Yoruba solely to illustrate my point. The Hausa in Kwara on the other hand live there in the same way the Bini man or Efik man lives there.

@ revomind
The Sarakis have to put up Yoruba inclination beacause Kwara is a Yoruba state. They have to put up an Hausa poster because they are Fulani. Fulanis in the north have embraced Hausa as against their native Fufulde language for the same kind of reason.