Thursday September 28, 2006. A ripple of excitement spread across the Kwara State Capital, Ilorin. From the newsstands, as early as 7’0clock in the morning, the news sprang, that the State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki was not among the 23 Governors indicted for corrupt practices by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Like a wild fire, the news spread; generating a riot of reactions ranging from wild jubilation, back slapping and barely suppressed excitement.

In the market places, offices and streets, people gathered in twos and threes discussing animatedly the implication of the EFCC report on the Governors in general and the exoneration of Dr. Saraki in particular. Around government circles and the PDP offices at State, Local Government and Ward levels, it was jubilation galore, with the shouts of ‘Sai Bukky’ renting the air by exultant government officials and party faithful.

Before the EFCC’s helmsman, Mallam Nuru Ribadu’s submission at the Senate last Wednesday, during which he exonerated Dr. Saraki of malfeasance in the discharge of his responsibility as the governor of Kwara State, there had been a gale of allegations of malpractices by the political opposition in the state. Most of these allegations were raised through sponsored articles, interviews and advertorials. Consequently, the clean bill of health given the Governor by EFCC was received by most of the populace as the most credible answer to these perceived spurious allegations and a vindication of the transparency, accountability and probity that Dr. Saraki has brought into governance in Kwara.

"It has put paid to the smear campaign motivated by dirty politics and malicious mischief by the opposition" a party faithful, Rafiu Adio, remarked. Indeed, Governor Saraki has not had it easy with the opposition in the State, despite operating what has been adjudged the most transparent, accountable and responsible administration in the history of the State. In Kwara of today, dealing with government is no longer business as usual. Every transaction is strictly subjected to the principle of due process.

This principle, which Dr. Saraki introduced right from his first day in office, was said to be a carry-over from his stint at the villa in Abuja when he served as the Special Assistant to the President on Budget Matters. Reports even had it that he it was, who actually introduced the principle of due process while serving at the presidency. A close aide of the Governor recalled that the principles he upheld while in the presidency are the same he is deploying in running the affairs of Kwara State. According to the aide who declined to have his name mentioned, " when we were in Abuja he [Bukola Saraki] religiously avoided benefiting from contracts awards and sternly warned us to steer clear of the same. It was not an easy thing for us his aides then because we shared the same office with those awarding contracts and right before our very eyes hefty contracts running into hundreds of millions of Naira were being awarded and we can only look. The temptation was better imagined than experienced, but he was resolute and forced us to comply"

In Kwara as in other States, one of the drainpipes through which public funds are siphoned is inflated contract cost. To put a check on this, price intelligence unit, which vets cost quotations and recommends appropriate pricing before a contract was awarded, was set up. It is thus no surprising that contractors doing business with Governor Saraki’s Administration usually complain of low profit.

The judicious application of the State’s lean resources and financial prudence of the Governor has seen the State witnessing tremendous social-economic and infrastructural development in the past three years.

The Ribadu verdict is thus seen by many in the State as a testimony to the laudable manner Governor Saraki has been piloting the affairs of Kwara State.