SARAKI’S GOVERNORSHIP WAR GROUNDS KWARA

Gbemi Saraki

Bukola Saraki

 This is indeed a real perilous time for the godfather of Kwara politics, Dr. Olusola Saraki. For the first time in about 50 years, he seems uncertain of what may become the fate of his candidate, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki. Though, the older Saraki is fervently asking that his ever loving and obedient Kwarans vote her as the next governor of the state.

But the political dice seems to have been cast as his older son and incumbent governor of the state, Bukola Saraki is ironically pulling all stops to halt the political machinery of his father.

Bukola has continued to be the face and leg that is set to mount a stumbling block to the wish of his father and sister.

Those who are familiar with the politics of the Waziri of Ilorin (Olusola Saraki), the man fondly called Oloye, will readily admit that he didn't envision that current reality starring in the face. More painfully is the fact that the older Saraki is not enjoying the best of health at the moment, which was the reason he had been in the United States of America where his health was been attended to. He only returned to the country penultimate week to push through his beloved daughter's gubernatorial campaigns.

Our investigations revealed that the polarity in the family has reached an alarming stage that even the godfather seemed to be at sea on how best to handle the situation to save his name,  political empire and legacy he has built and sustained for over 49 years.

Chief Olusola Saraki has held forte as an authority who dominates and dictates the trend of politics in Kwara to such extent that opposition to his hold has kissed the dust.

But, in recent times, Kwara State  the State of Harmony  has gained prominence and special media attention following the challenge by Bukola against his father's choice of Gbemisola as his successor. Rather, the younger Saraki is set to put a nail on his father's dominance by prodding an opposition against his wish.

Watchers of Kwara politics and indeed interested Nigerians are waiting with bated breath to see who carries the day between Chief Olusola Saraki on the one hand, and Bukola, who has anointed a prominent member in his cabinet, Alhaji Abdul Fattah Ahmed as his successor. The hunch of Chief Olusola Saraki's support for Gbemisola is predicated on his presumption that she would better serve the interests of Kwarans, as well as strengthen his bond with the Kwara people. But, Turaki of Ilorin (Bukola) would not have any of that.

The Governor, according to a source, was initially unperturbed by his father's in sistence on Gbemisola. In fact, he was said to have sometime confided in some of his confidants that his father would not neither want to neither confront him openly nor defect to another party because of Gbemisola. In his calculation, the private sector player-turned-politician, Bukola had hoped he would sponsor his sister for a ministerial appointment or become a deputy government to his preferred candidate.

Interestingly, the father would conjure another trick from his political cap, as he defected to a relatively unknown party, the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) when he saw that moves were hatched to preclude Gbemisola from clinching the PDP guber ticket.

Things took a different dimension early this year, precisely on January 2nd 2011, when

Dr. Olusola Saraki, while addressing a crowd of supporters at his famous Ile-Arugbo, ordered his loyalists to move en-masse to the new party. He claimed that the PDP had been buried in the state. He further disclosed that his decision to severe links with the ruling party was a way of searching for a safe haven following alleged ill-treatments meted to his supporters in the party.

Dr. Sola Saraki has since 1979 installed his favourite candidates into elective political offices in the state and even enjoyed the loyalty of military governors, who religiously sought his support for peaceful reign in the state.

The current situation seems to re-enact the two epic fights in the state in 1983 and 2003, both in patterns and dimensions. The tempo of campaign activities of the governorship candidates have increased and the political battle is getting more interesting by the day.

However, the battle for the seat seems to be a straight fight between the ACPN and PDP candidate. The two parties interestingly have their structures and foundation in the Saraki family. Ahmed relies on the support from his boss, Gov. Saraki, while Gbemisola also campaigns on the platform and structures built and sustained by the Baba Oloye for years now.

Ahmed's campaign slogan is “The Legacy Continues” and he has the Mandate House used by Dr. Bukola for his campaign in 2003 & 2007 as his campaign office.

The Baba Oloye has had to cut short his medical trip abroad to co-ordinate the campaign of Gbemisola at the secretariat located near Justice Alfa Belgore's GRA residence. He has been busy consulting and networking to win other Ilorin populace.

The party, according to a source, recently took delivery of over 500 cars and buses, which were branded and distributed to ACPN members in the 16 local government areas of the state for campaign activities. Rain of car gifts and Ankara is assured to hundreds of supporters that throng the Ile-loke residence of Baba Oloye daily.

At the rally for Gbemisola's election campaign, the crowd sang and danced, but the emergence of Baba Oloye electrified the already charged atmosphere. They simply fell over one another as if a messiah had appeared.

Saraki asked his supporters repeatedly if he should consider the election of his daughter a done deal and go to sleep. The hysterical crowd answered him in the affirmative.

But Bukola, his son, believes that his father is being deceived. By his own admittance, Dr. Olusola Saraki said he counseled his son that those singing his praises were only out to deceive him, but he (Bukola), to his pain and chagrin, retorted that it was he (the father) that was being deceived.

However, the opposition camp that many had thought were patiently waiting in the wing to get position as possible beneficiary of the Saraki's family feud are also in disarray and currently singing discordant tunes.

The ACN is juts waking up after the crisis that ensued in respect of it's choice of gubernatorial aspirant, which left the ACN polarized into different factions, leading to the exit of some top politicians from the party.

The ACN candidate, Dr. Dele Belgore is considered too stingy and someone only waiting on the wings for an 'Otedola' scenario without staking anything, while the DPP candidate, Gbenga Olawepo is not taken seriously by the people having been branded a career contestant.

The ANPP candidate, Khaleel Bolaji is not even on ground at all.

Another guber candidate, Rahman Razaq, the wealthy son of the much talked about foremost lawyer from the North, AGF Rasaq decamped only to CPC where picked its gubernatorial ticket.

Architect Lola Ashiru, was regarded the most favoured by the ACN, but  he reportedly lost the opportunity due to the decision of the party leaders at the national level and the party's Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed.

Ashiru left the party for ACPN, where he is at present the party's Kwara South Senatorial Candidate.Also, two serving commissioners; Chief Tunji Ayeni and Mrs. Caroline Adunmo have also left the state cabinet to join ACPN. Popular social critic, Chief Wole Oke and a few others also left the ACN in annoyance for the PDP.

As the election draws closer home¸ it is apparent that the coming days would be an exciting and revealing one for Kwarans.

April 05, 2011