Saraki In CCB’s Water, Will He Swim Out Or Sink Politically?

Editor’s note: Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki is facing the most difficult political challenge of his over 10 years sojourn in active politics. The current Senate president is facing a 13-count charge by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), which include corruption, false declaration of assets, illegal operation of a foreign bank account while in office as a public office holder, among others. Oladele Hakeem, Naij.com editor evaluates the antecedents of the former Kwara state governor and what his political future may look like at the end of his trial.

Senate president Bukola Saraki during his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal

Saraki’s entry into politics

Before the current president of the senate, Bukola Saraki joined active politics in 2003, he was known more or less as a medical doctor. Then, he was a green horn.

Going into retrospect when Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999, Saraki was a political neophyte. He was not a force to be reckoned with in Kwara politics.

His late father, a one-time senate leader during the second republic, Olusola Saraki called the shots then. Olusola was then the alpha and omega as far as Kwara politics was concerned. The power tussle of 2003 between late Muhammad Lawal (Kwara state governor between 1999 and 2003) and Olusola, the late scion of Kwara politics was what brought Bukola into the political fray.

Then, there was a struggle to control the political structures of Kwara between Lawal and Saraki senior. As this continued, Bukola with the backing of his father threw his hat into the ring by contesting the governorship election of 2003. He defeated the incumbent and became the new face of Kwara. He was re-elected for a second term in 2007. Since then, he has been soaring high politically. The rest they say is history.

Saraki, the new godfather of Kwara politics

Godfatherism is a common thing worldwide in politics. Every politician who tastes power ensures he oils his political wheels before he leaves office. Politicians believe this is the only way they can continue to be relevant.

Bukola Saraki was also smart in this regard. He ensured he spread his tentacles all over the length and breadth of Kwara, while in office as governor. He dotted his i’’s and crossed his t’’s. His late father never knew when he hijacked the firmaments of the state’’s politics from him. However, some observers said it was only a stratagem by the older Saraki. They said Saraki junior was no doubt his heir apparent. They said he was the one that handed over the structures to his son.

Either a ploy or not, the governorship election of 2011 proved Bukola was the new leader of Kwara politics. The election saw father against son. The candidate of Bukola and the present governor of the state, Abdulfatah Ahmed defeated Gbemisola Saraki, who was the candidate of Olusola.

Upon completing his second tenure in 2011, he contested and won one of the three senatorial seats of the state after failing in his bid to become a presidential candidate.

The first examination

During Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, some charges were leveled against Saraki by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He was fortunate he scaled the EFCC hurdle.

Then, some schools of thought said it was vendetta against Bukola. Their reason was that during Saraki’s time as chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, they said he did not show respect to the office of the vice president in which Jonathan occupied. They said he downgraded him. Some even said he talked anyhow to Jonathan and other politicians not in his good books during meetings. They said he was enveloped by pride.

Cabals and godfathers everywhere

“The proof of pudding is in the eating.” Cabals and godfathers are political gladiators. They are always extant in politics. It is an open secret that no politician will win an election without having powerful stakeholders that back him or her. These people determine if the clock will rotate clockwise or anti clockwise.

Sometimes predecessors establish themselves as cabals to their successors. In some cases the godfathers do not run for political office. They stay behind the scene and operate from there. At times when cabals are succeeded, there is some power tussle between them and their successors. In little or no time the successors see their predecessors as behemoths which could hinder them from achieving smooth governance. During such tug of wars, some successors triumph while others get their fingers burnt and are later sent into political oblivion.

A good number of these godfatherism wars abound in Nigeria. Examples are: Bode George and Musiliu Obanikoro; Chinmaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime; Orji Uzor Kalu and Theodore Orji; Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar; Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Babatunde Raji Fashola; Attahiru Bafarawa and Aliyu Wamakko; Lamidi Adedibu and Rashidi Ladoja as well as Olusegun Osoba and Ibikunle Amosun.

Politicians sometime do fake amnesia. They know the first rule in politics is, “no permanent friend or foe, but permanent interest.” Some still betray their benefactors after initial loyalty. Successors try to become the next godfathers because they always see the kingmakers as clog in their wheels.

Conspiracy theories

According to Punch newspaper of Friday, September 25, some angry youths shouted thief on the senate president. They were reported to have hurled water sachets and pelted stones at the tent he sat during the Eid ul Kabir prayer in Ilorin, Kwara state on Thursday, September 24. However, Saraki said nothing of such happened.

Accusing fingers are being directed at both President Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Saraki’s supporters believe both men want to get rid of the nation’s number three man at all cost. They say it is nothing than backstabbing and witch-hunting. But the president said he has no hand in Saraki’s travails.

Pro-Saraki groups said the former governor of Lagos state triggered the charges filed against their leader. They stated it was because Tinubu’s candidate, Ahmed Lawan failed to become the senate president. That Tinubu now see it as payback time.

Saraki himself stated his side of the story during the sitting of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Tuesday, September 22 in Abuja. While he sat inside the accused box at the tribunal, he said:

“I just want to make this brief introduction to show you that I believe in the process of the rule of law. Section 3 (d) of the CCB and Tribunal Act state that: ‘if there is a breach in asset declaration, the CCB shall refer the matter to the CCT, after giving a defendant an opportunity to either confirm if those facts were true or not, then the matter shall be referred to the tribunal.’ I felt that the CCB should have called me according to the law because we have been talking about new Nigeria. We have been talking about Nigeria moving forward.”

He added by saying:

“Mr Chairman, as a layman, I should know why I should be punished like this. We are all watching. We are all before the world not only before Nigerians. I will conform myself to due process. That is why I have come to subject myself before this tribunal. I strongly believe I am here today because I am the senate president. So, as I stated before, I want to say that I am not guilty.”

Saraki really spoke intelligently. However, this will not appeal to his perceived enemies. His antagonists said he only beat about the bush and wasted time by not answering direct questions as they should be answered.

The trial has been adjourned. The final drama should unfold soon. The next dates fixed for hearing of his preliminary objections are October 21, 22 and 23.

The former Kwara state governor is fighting the battle of his life. Just some weeks after he became the senate president, he survived the issue of some question marks raised over his citizenship. It was reported he has dual citizenship.

It now looks as if Saraki is swimming in an ocean full of sharks!

Who will laugh last?

Politics is an unpredictable game. A lot of horsetrading would have started between the pro- and anti-Saraki camps. No one can really say where the pendulum bob will swing eventually. There is news that the Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El Rufai will be one of the people to testify against Saraki.

It seems more dangers loom ahead of the senate president.

Some political analysts believe Saraki’s trial must get to a logical conclusion. They believe the law should take its course because it’s no respecter of anyone.

Other public affairs commenters opined Saraki is being punished because he disobeyed party rules and his possible presidential ambition in 2019.

All sorts of political tricks and calculations would be used before his hearing next month. If at the end of the day, his detractors succeed and kick him out of senate presidency, it means Bukola Saraki will go down in history with the likes of Evan(s) Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo and Adolphus Wabara as senate presidents who did not complete their term in office.

Nigerians are keenly watching. Because the final outcome of this trial will determine if Saraki’s political dynasty is about to crumble and collapse or will be further fortified. However, the conundrum might be a bit dicey to predict.

Quoting Emmanuel Bello from his column, “BACKSTORY” in Daily Sun newspaper of Tuesday, September 22, he wrote:

“As for the son of the famed Oloye of Kwara politics (that is Bukola Saraki), his admirers may have to continue praying. But in a country I know too well, that counts for nothing. It would soon fizzle out. He also has the senate behind him, but for a tribe I know too well, how long can they hold on?

”In time and when all sorts of sanctions begin to bite, the senators may dump Saraki to make progress.”

Oladele Hakeem, a content editor with Naij.com, holds a BSc (Hons) from UNILAG, a PCWC from NIJ and an MSc in Epidemiology and Medical Statistics from UI. He writes from Ikeja, Lagos.

The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Naij.com.

Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@naij.com — drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Naij.com’s step-by-step guide for guest contributors.

We’re ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App.

Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Naij.com Opinion page!

The post Saraki In CCB’s Water, Will He Swim Out Or Sink Politically? appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.