Senator Bukola Saraki, representing Kwara Central Senatorial district in the National Assembly is not only a two-term governor of Kwara State but the son of strongman of Kwara politics and late Waziri of Ilorin, Dr. Olusola Saraki.

Late Saraki before his demise, no doubt was instrumental to the emergence of governors both military and civilians with an exemption to the current Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, whose emergence in 2011 was one of the remote causes of his oust in politics and eventual death.

‘Olooye’ as he was popularly called, Olusola Saraki, during his lifetime always appreciated other peoples’ views and opinions with high sense of patriotism, humour and appreciation of the contributions of his followers to the sustenance of his long reign as an elder statesman within the period God gave him.

He was at the background of so many activities ranging from governance to traditional institutions as the case may be, while he was also at different times called upon by leadership of states in the neighbourhood to assist in intervening in matters that can further development their areas.

Full of respect for elders, traditional ruling class, electorate and civil servants to mention but few, Saraki could not wait to witness his 80th birthday anniversary as he could not recover from the shock he suffered following the outcome of the 2011 governorship election in the state when his son, Bukola Saraki sponsored another candidate against his father’s interest in the keen race.

While Late Saraki anointed and presented his daughter and a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic, Ruqayyat Gbemisola Saraki for the governorship race on the platform of the defunct Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, Bukola Saraki (son) anointed and presented his erstwhile Commissioner for Finance and later Commissioner for Economic and Planning, Alhaji Abdulfatha Ahmed against the wish of his father.

Although, Gbemisola got significant number of votes cast but she lost gallantly to Ahmed in the race while Late Saraki took voluntary leave from Ilorin and ceased to be the political dictator of the state possibly out of frustration.

As believers, we accepted the deeds of God Almighty on the Late Waziri but we are of the opinion that Bukola Saraki out of his perceived arrogance and love for power humiliated his father not minding what the result might be.

Well, the chorus on the lips of everybody both at national and state levels in the contemporary political scene in Nigeria is that Bukola Saraki may have bitten the fingers that fed him by ‘betraying’ his late father on whose back he rose to political stardom.

Records have showed that between 2003 and 2011, Bukola Saraki ruled like an emperor with commissioners prostrating before him even at State Executive Council meetings while he allegedly refused to take advice from those he appointed as Special Advisers while Special Assistants meant nothing to him.

His leadership as recently disclosed by a party chieftain is all about the politics of elimination, politics of coercion and politics of self interest first as reflected in his dogmatic movement of the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s structure in the state to the All Progressive Congress, APC, as against the recommendations of the 22-man Committee saddled with the responsibility of assessing the merits and the demerits of defecting from the party.

His love for money, power and influence seems to have occupied his mind as he allegedly has little or no regard for people around him. Those close to him allege that when he visits you, he expects you to greet him first, when you visit him, he expects you to bow and greet him first.

These are the qualities that clearly distinguished him from his late father as he claimed to be the emerging political leader in the state.

He had wielded so much power to himself that during the reign of Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he was the Chairman Governors’ Forum and transgressed his boundary by giving little or no respect to the then Vice President and now the Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

It is the same Vice-President turned President (Dr. Jonathan)  whose office he is still undermines as the Commander-in Chief. Can anybody please tutor Bukola Saraki, more on the values of leadership?

Also, can anybody ask Bukola Saraki who are the credible politicians around him now that he his boasting of being the political leader of the state? Bukola has not only failed the people of the state but he also failed himself in all ramifications. He ignorantly betrayed his late father and stood-still in celebration, chanting songs of victory.  

Can this be real that Bukola humiliated his father? That was the question on the lips of everyone who knew how Olusola Saraki gave an end to the Late Governor Mohammed Lawal’s administration in 2003 dumping the defunct All Peoples’ Party, APP, for the PDP all because of his son (Bukola).

He has also rendered the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed irrelevant that he cannot do anything meaningful for the youths in the state order than KWABES and QuickWin. There is no gainful employment for youths in the last four years. My question to both Governor and Senator Saraki is; can you present your children for the menial jobs you are offering Kwara youths, especially graduates to make a leaving?

Contrary to their denial of knowledge about Sure-P and MGDs money in the state, it is crystal clear that the APC government wanted to sweep the fund under the carpet to facilitate its numerous party activities as they refused to respond to my questions on how to better utilise the fund for the well-being of the people. Well, I’m coming back on that and many others. 

Chief Gbenga Awoyale is the President-General of Orisun Igbomina