Who is afraid of Bukola Saraki?
By Chinedum Nwajiuba
I am moved to write this piece after reading an article in the
VANGUARD of Thursday, August 6, 2015 by Is’haq
ModibboKawu titled, “ Bukola Saraki in Maiduguri: Tentative
first steps for 2019 Presidency”. It is evident that the article
reeks of hate and seems aimed at either getting President
Buhari to regard Saraki his enemy, or fortifying whatever
grievances might exist, if that is the case.
That is sad, because in no way does that motive contribute to
nation-building, and in no way does it help Buhari whom history
will ultimately hold responsible for what becomes of Nigeria
from May 29, 2015. It is true we are in a democracy and people
should have freedom of communication, but I believe we should
exercise some self-control in the enjoyment of the freedom. I do
not know the author in person or even by reputation, but I bet he
seems to have some personal ‘agro’ against Saraki.
I met Saraki sometime in 2011 after he became Chairman of
the Senate Committee on the Environment. I as well as others in
the civil society engaged with environmental issues in Nigeria
were pleasantly surprised to be invited by that Committee for
interaction.
Saraki sat through the meetings with a note book in which he
took copious notes as people made contributions. He also
enriched the conversations by asking poignant questions. He
was very civilized and we had the impression that he is
educated in the real sense.
It was this very positive impression that Saraki made upon my
colleagues and I that encouraged my organization and others to
take a closer look at the state he had just left as governor.
About that time, some international organizations asked us to
advise on states towards which they could direct their interest
in development activities. From our analysis, Kwara was highly
recommended. The points that counted for Kwara included
accessibility by air from Lagos/Ibadan and Abuja, having
minimal security challenges, and a very positive civil service and
receptive government.
I am not sure how much of these were put in place by the
governments before Saraki became governor of Kwara State.
We subsequently took specific projects into rural communities in
the state. Before doing that we approached his office in the
Senate, and were introduced to an officer who took responsibility
to lead us into Kwara. The government of that state received us
in a very professional manner. Kwara was one of six states in
which we unveiled the National Adaptation Strategy on Climate
Change. During this period, Saraki’s name resonated so much
in urban as well as rural areas of the state.
With respect to the article I read which I consider unfair, there
are some specific observations to make and I itemize few out of
the lot of them as they appear in that article.
The first is the title of the article: “Bukola Saraki in Maiduguri:
Tentative first steps for 2019 Presidency”. My reaction would be
that if truly Saraki’s Maiduguri trip is part of his seed planting
towards the 2019 presidency of Nigeria, then it is
commendable. Nigeria can ill-afford a reluctant President in
2019, or whatever other year for that matter. We’d rather an
aspirant that has his sleeves rolled up and is tirelessly working
towards actualizing his dream than one that suddenly wakes up
one morning in 2019 to tell us that he is running for presidency
in response to pressures from his people. Better to have
presidential aspirants with hunger in their bellies and fire in their
eyes which are fixed on a faraway goal than have 2019
overnight microwave presidential aspirants that treat the race to
our much-cherished Aso Rock Presidential Villa like an after-
thought.
The author had complained about the fact that “…most
newspapers carried a syndicated picture of the ‘august visitor’
waving to the IDPs.” To that I ask, is that strange? Isn’t that
what you see in governments including more mature
democracies? What is wrong with this, one dares ask?
The author further inveighed that Saraki’s ultimate goal
“remains presidency and he can’t even wait for 2019 before
beginning to show his hands”. To this I say only a fool interested
in 2019 presidency will wait till 2019 to start showing his hands.
Is the office of the President of Nigeria not serious enough to
warrant long-term thought and work? President Buhari provides
a good and recent example of a long-distance runner in the
presidency race and if, as the writer of that article tried to
portray, Saraki’s Maiduguri trip was indeed his first step in a
four-year marathon, then it should be a plus, not a minus as the
writer inveighed. People with political ambitions should be
encouraged to show their hands early. That way, the society
gets them to act with a greater sense of responsibility than
might have otherwise been the case.
Another difficult assertion to accept is to the effect that the
distinguished senator “is fighting a battle against public
perception because in many quarters in Nigeria, he has not been
able to live down the feeling that he betrayed his party”. To this I
say perhaps “many quarters” but certainly not majority of
Nigerians share this sentiment. I believe majority of Nigerians
prefer inclusive broad-based governance that reflects the
country’s diversity, rather than governments that are highly
skewed and based on an ideology of exclusion of sections of the
country.
The writer’s anger was revealed the more when he stated that
Saraki “remains defiant and continues to ignore the APC and
PMB’s openly expressed preference that APC senators bow to
party supremacy; he fills positions with members of his own
group, daring the party and PMB to do the worst!” I see this as
simply meant to incite. Sensible Nigerians remember President
Buhari’s statement after the election of the Senate President
and Speaker House of Representatives on June 9, 2015. Our
much respected President took the view that a constitutional
process occurred. He accepted those elected, and said that he
did not have any preferred candidates for the Senate and the
House of Representatives leadership, and that he was willing to
work with whomever the lawmakers elected. The Presidency is
a serious office and cannot issue public statements that are
meant for nothing. It is an honourable office and Nigerians
want to believe it ended with that. If the President goes on after
that date and that statement to antagonize Saraki, that is a
minus for Buhari among honourable people. I refuse to believe
the hidden insinuation of that writer that our President who is
noted point above is another vexatious one which stated that
Buhari publicly ignored the Senate President at the Abuja Eid
praying ground. To this I wail, the Nigerian President publicly
ignoring the Nigerian Senate President elected within the laws of
Nigeria as acknowledged by the Nigerian President! Who loses?
Who becomes a smaller man by that, if that was really the
case? Anyway, I doubt that it’s fact.
He further asserted that Saraki missed the photo-op with
President Barack Obama by not accompanying Buhari to the
United States. This can’t be serious. How many times have we
seen Senate Presidents going on foreign trips with a country’s
President?
That “…Bukola Saraki, unable to secure an audience with PMB,
was corralling the Emir of Ilorin to service to find every
opportunity for him to get to see the President.” This is
commendable. He who seeks peace means well.
That “…he nevertheless continues to defy the same President
and party in respect of the extant problems arising from his
demarche on June 9.” Shaking my head in disbelief, I ask: But
where is the proof of defiance to the President? Has Buhari
asked Saraki to resign as Senate President? Or is this
suggestive of a possibility that the statement issued after the
election of Saraki as Senate President was not with the
knowledge of the President? Is there a crack in the Presidency?
The apparently angry writer complained that OlisaMetuh of the
PDP had asserted that they were working for Saraki’s return to
the PDP. Now, I wonder what is strange about that. I would
expect PDP to work for the return of not only their former
members, but other senior APC members as well. Recall that
APC lured them away from PDP. What is wrong with PDP
doing the same?
The writer also accused Saraki of “… embarking on the next
chapter of his own personal agenda for presidency…” But who,
among the big names in Nigerian politics, does not have a
personal agenda? Is it Buhari, Tinubu, Atiku, or who? What is
peculiar with Saraki having a personal agenda?
The following comment in the article is perplexing: “…instead of
working to further enhance the North-Southwest alliance, these
shortsighted and opportunistic Northern politicians who bought
into Bukola Saraki’s anti-Tinubupropaganda endanger PMB’s
CHANGE Agenda and willy-nilly, have become as disruptive as
Bukola Saraki and are working for his personal agenda NOT the
interest of Northern Nigeria or those of our country, in the long
run.” This, to say the least, is scandalous. Is Mr Kawu by any
means implying that the whole essence of Buhari’s government
is to exclude two of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones? Federal
Character and inclusiveness are products of Nigeria’s political
history, and Constitution which the President swore to uphold. Is
he stating that Buhari is implementing a policy of exclusion?
That frightful comment forces one to compare what PDP did for
geopolitical zones in which they did not do well in presidential
elections with what the author appears to certify the APC as
doing now. Is it possible that a trend has emerged with two
contending visions/ideologies – those who want an inclusive
Nigeria (PDP and APC elements like Saraki and Dogara),
versus the APC apostles of exclusion?
The writer had asserted that, in his own words, “By getting Ike
Ekweremadu into the loop as Deputy Senate President, and
contrary to the norms of Senate in respect of ranking, also
making Godswill Akpabio Minority leader, BukolaSaraki will
claim his political IOU in 2019”, Not done yet, he added that
Saraki will “posture as having given the South-East and the
South-South recognition and platforms of relevance, when they
ordinarily would have lost out in 2015, for voting against the APC
and PMB.” This line of writing and, particularly, the reasoning
that produced it are as unfair as they are scary. If that writer
represents the view of the anti-Saraki APC, then it is saddening
to note that APC still has not appreciated that the votes secured
by former President Goodluck Jonathan in South-East and
South-South could have been higher if it were not for the
hardwork and determination of APC leaders and members in
those zones. Now these valiant men and women who fought for
their convictions appear to have been made to lose their voices
by the emerging scenario in their otherwise beloved APC. People
are asking what Ogbonnaya Onu, Rochas Okorocha, Chris
Ngige, Rotimi Amechi, and others who were very vocal in
asking the South-East and South-South to come along with the
APC have to offer as explanation for what is happening. What
sin has the South-East, the South-South and Saraki
committed? If the elements of the Change Agenda of the current
government is good for all Nigeria, why the fear of persons from
the South-East and South-South being around even in minor
positions?
A curious accusation against Saraki in the writing is that he “…
has been appointing legislative aides from different parts of the
North and beyond…” If that is the case, then he is a new
generation Nigerian leader indeed. A multi-ethnic, multi-
everything country such as Nigeria can no longer afford political
office appointments that are skewed in clear favor of one group
to the exclusion of others.
The writer’s vituperation to the effect that Saraki’s trip to
Maiduguri was presented as a humanitarian trip to give succor
to people displaced as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency
was curiously meant to reduce the person of Saraki. To the
contrary, it has ended up improving the person and persona. A
politician must be known for something. Buhari brand appeal is
in his anti-corruption posture. If Saraki’s is humanitarianism,
then that is desirable in the hard times Nigerians all over the
country are in.
The simple conclusion to this is encapsulated in the question we
employed as the title of this piece: Who is afraid of Bukola
Saraki? It has to be fear of the man that is generating the level
of antagonism contained in that article. Once again, that has no
place in national development.
I am moved to write this piece after reading an article in the
VANGUARD of Thursday, August 6, 2015 by Is’haq
ModibboKawu titled, “ Bukola Saraki in Maiduguri: Tentative
first steps for 2019 Presidency”. It is evident that the article
reeks of hate and seems aimed at either getting President
Buhari to regard Saraki his enemy, or fortifying whatever
grievances might exist, if that is the case.
That is sad, because in no way does that motive contribute to
nation-building, and in no way does it help Buhari whom history
will ultimately hold responsible for what becomes of Nigeria
from May 29, 2015. It is true we are in a democracy and people
should have freedom of communication, but I believe we should
exercise some self-control in the enjoyment of the freedom. I do
not know the author in person or even by reputation, but I bet he
seems to have some personal ‘agro’ against Saraki.
I met Saraki sometime in 2011 after he became Chairman of
the Senate Committee on the Environment. I as well as others in
the civil society engaged with environmental issues in Nigeria
were pleasantly surprised to be invited by that Committee for
interaction.
Saraki sat through the meetings with a note book in which he
took copious notes as people made contributions. He also
enriched the conversations by asking poignant questions. He
was very civilized and we had the impression that he is
educated in the real sense.
It was this very positive impression that Saraki made upon my
colleagues and I that encouraged my organization and others to
take a closer look at the state he had just left as governor.
About that time, some international organizations asked us to
advise on states towards which they could direct their interest
in development activities. From our analysis, Kwara was highly
recommended. The points that counted for Kwara included
accessibility by air from Lagos/Ibadan and Abuja, having
minimal security challenges, and a very positive civil service and
receptive government.
I am not sure how much of these were put in place by the
governments before Saraki became governor of Kwara State.
We subsequently took specific projects into rural communities in
the state. Before doing that we approached his office in the
Senate, and were introduced to an officer who took responsibility
to lead us into Kwara. The government of that state received us
in a very professional manner. Kwara was one of six states in
which we unveiled the National Adaptation Strategy on Climate
Change. During this period, Saraki’s name resonated so much
in urban as well as rural areas of the state.
With respect to the article I read which I consider unfair, there
are some specific observations to make and I itemize few out of
the lot of them as they appear in that article.
The first is the title of the article: “Bukola Saraki in Maiduguri:
Tentative first steps for 2019 Presidency”. My reaction would be
that if truly Saraki’s Maiduguri trip is part of his seed planting
towards the 2019 presidency of Nigeria, then it is
commendable. Nigeria can ill-afford a reluctant President in
2019, or whatever other year for that matter. We’d rather an
aspirant that has his sleeves rolled up and is tirelessly working
towards actualizing his dream than one that suddenly wakes up
one morning in 2019 to tell us that he is running for presidency
in response to pressures from his people. Better to have
presidential aspirants with hunger in their bellies and fire in their
eyes which are fixed on a faraway goal than have 2019
overnight microwave presidential aspirants that treat the race to
our much-cherished Aso Rock Presidential Villa like an after-
thought.
The author had complained about the fact that “…most
newspapers carried a syndicated picture of the ‘august visitor’
waving to the IDPs.” To that I ask, is that strange? Isn’t that
what you see in governments including more mature
democracies? What is wrong with this, one dares ask?
The author further inveighed that Saraki’s ultimate goal
“remains presidency and he can’t even wait for 2019 before
beginning to show his hands”. To this I say only a fool interested
in 2019 presidency will wait till 2019 to start showing his hands.
Is the office of the President of Nigeria not serious enough to
warrant long-term thought and work? President Buhari provides
a good and recent example of a long-distance runner in the
presidency race and if, as the writer of that article tried to
portray, Saraki’s Maiduguri trip was indeed his first step in a
four-year marathon, then it should be a plus, not a minus as the
writer inveighed. People with political ambitions should be
encouraged to show their hands early. That way, the society
gets them to act with a greater sense of responsibility than
might have otherwise been the case.
Another difficult assertion to accept is to the effect that the
distinguished senator “is fighting a battle against public
perception because in many quarters in Nigeria, he has not been
able to live down the feeling that he betrayed his party”. To this I
say perhaps “many quarters” but certainly not majority of
Nigerians share this sentiment. I believe majority of Nigerians
prefer inclusive broad-based governance that reflects the
country’s diversity, rather than governments that are highly
skewed and based on an ideology of exclusion of sections of the
country.
The writer’s anger was revealed the more when he stated that
Saraki “remains defiant and continues to ignore the APC and
PMB’s openly expressed preference that APC senators bow to
party supremacy; he fills positions with members of his own
group, daring the party and PMB to do the worst!” I see this as
simply meant to incite. Sensible Nigerians remember President
Buhari’s statement after the election of the Senate President
and Speaker House of Representatives on June 9, 2015. Our
much respected President took the view that a constitutional
process occurred. He accepted those elected, and said that he
did not have any preferred candidates for the Senate and the
House of Representatives leadership, and that he was willing to
work with whomever the lawmakers elected. The Presidency is
a serious office and cannot issue public statements that are
meant for nothing. It is an honourable office and Nigerians
want to believe it ended with that. If the President goes on after
that date and that statement to antagonize Saraki, that is a
minus for Buhari among honourable people. I refuse to believe
the hidden insinuation of that writer that our President who is
noted point above is another vexatious one which stated that
Buhari publicly ignored the Senate President at the Abuja Eid
praying ground. To this I wail, the Nigerian President publicly
ignoring the Nigerian Senate President elected within the laws of
Nigeria as acknowledged by the Nigerian President! Who loses?
Who becomes a smaller man by that, if that was really the
case? Anyway, I doubt that it’s fact.
He further asserted that Saraki missed the photo-op with
President Barack Obama by not accompanying Buhari to the
United States. This can’t be serious. How many times have we
seen Senate Presidents going on foreign trips with a country’s
President?
That “…Bukola Saraki, unable to secure an audience with PMB,
was corralling the Emir of Ilorin to service to find every
opportunity for him to get to see the President.” This is
commendable. He who seeks peace means well.
That “…he nevertheless continues to defy the same President
and party in respect of the extant problems arising from his
demarche on June 9.” Shaking my head in disbelief, I ask: But
where is the proof of defiance to the President? Has Buhari
asked Saraki to resign as Senate President? Or is this
suggestive of a possibility that the statement issued after the
election of Saraki as Senate President was not with the
knowledge of the President? Is there a crack in the Presidency?
The apparently angry writer complained that OlisaMetuh of the
PDP had asserted that they were working for Saraki’s return to
the PDP. Now, I wonder what is strange about that. I would
expect PDP to work for the return of not only their former
members, but other senior APC members as well. Recall that
APC lured them away from PDP. What is wrong with PDP
doing the same?
The writer also accused Saraki of “… embarking on the next
chapter of his own personal agenda for presidency…” But who,
among the big names in Nigerian politics, does not have a
personal agenda? Is it Buhari, Tinubu, Atiku, or who? What is
peculiar with Saraki having a personal agenda?
The following comment in the article is perplexing: “…instead of
working to further enhance the North-Southwest alliance, these
shortsighted and opportunistic Northern politicians who bought
into Bukola Saraki’s anti-Tinubupropaganda endanger PMB’s
CHANGE Agenda and willy-nilly, have become as disruptive as
Bukola Saraki and are working for his personal agenda NOT the
interest of Northern Nigeria or those of our country, in the long
run.” This, to say the least, is scandalous. Is Mr Kawu by any
means implying that the whole essence of Buhari’s government
is to exclude two of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones? Federal
Character and inclusiveness are products of Nigeria’s political
history, and Constitution which the President swore to uphold. Is
he stating that Buhari is implementing a policy of exclusion?
That frightful comment forces one to compare what PDP did for
geopolitical zones in which they did not do well in presidential
elections with what the author appears to certify the APC as
doing now. Is it possible that a trend has emerged with two
contending visions/ideologies – those who want an inclusive
Nigeria (PDP and APC elements like Saraki and Dogara),
versus the APC apostles of exclusion?
The writer had asserted that, in his own words, “By getting Ike
Ekweremadu into the loop as Deputy Senate President, and
contrary to the norms of Senate in respect of ranking, also
making Godswill Akpabio Minority leader, BukolaSaraki will
claim his political IOU in 2019”, Not done yet, he added that
Saraki will “posture as having given the South-East and the
South-South recognition and platforms of relevance, when they
ordinarily would have lost out in 2015, for voting against the APC
and PMB.” This line of writing and, particularly, the reasoning
that produced it are as unfair as they are scary. If that writer
represents the view of the anti-Saraki APC, then it is saddening
to note that APC still has not appreciated that the votes secured
by former President Goodluck Jonathan in South-East and
South-South could have been higher if it were not for the
hardwork and determination of APC leaders and members in
those zones. Now these valiant men and women who fought for
their convictions appear to have been made to lose their voices
by the emerging scenario in their otherwise beloved APC. People
are asking what Ogbonnaya Onu, Rochas Okorocha, Chris
Ngige, Rotimi Amechi, and others who were very vocal in
asking the South-East and South-South to come along with the
APC have to offer as explanation for what is happening. What
sin has the South-East, the South-South and Saraki
committed? If the elements of the Change Agenda of the current
government is good for all Nigeria, why the fear of persons from
the South-East and South-South being around even in minor
positions?
A curious accusation against Saraki in the writing is that he “…
has been appointing legislative aides from different parts of the
North and beyond…” If that is the case, then he is a new
generation Nigerian leader indeed. A multi-ethnic, multi-
everything country such as Nigeria can no longer afford political
office appointments that are skewed in clear favor of one group
to the exclusion of others.
The writer’s vituperation to the effect that Saraki’s trip to
Maiduguri was presented as a humanitarian trip to give succor
to people displaced as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency
was curiously meant to reduce the person of Saraki. To the
contrary, it has ended up improving the person and persona. A
politician must be known for something. Buhari brand appeal is
in his anti-corruption posture. If Saraki’s is humanitarianism,
then that is desirable in the hard times Nigerians all over the
country are in.
The simple conclusion to this is encapsulated in the question we
employed as the title of this piece: Who is afraid of Bukola
Saraki? It has to be fear of the man that is generating the level
of antagonism contained in that article. Once again, that has no
place in national development.
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