ENGINEER Kola Shittu, a two-term former member of the House of Representatives and an ex Commissioner for Works and Transport in Kwara State, spoke to Abiodun Fagbemi in Ilorin on his senatorial aspiration under the All Progressives Congress (APC), and attempted a projection into the 2015 General Elections in the state.

MY political experience of Kwaran politics started in the Second Republic (1979-1983). Having sojourned around the world, I eventually came to settle in Ilorin, my state capital in August 1980.

I rented a flat that was adjacent to that of the late Olusola Saraki, popularly referred to as 'Oloye'. Before this time, I had never participated in politics.

Even in my days at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Samaru Campus, we used to disdain some of those participating in campus politics. Those of us in Engineering often looked down on these campus politicians as noisemakers who were lazy and lacking in ambition.

But around that 1980, my self and my wife used to notice that fleets of vehicles were always parked in front of Oloye's house. When inquiries were made, we learnt that there was a man, the owners of the vehicles used to come and visit.

These people used to come from all parts of Nigeria. Among them were Mbadiwe, Katagum, Umaru Dikko, Adisa Akinloye and so on.

One night, around 9.00pm, I decided to see what was happening there. I saw people from my country home, Offa. I was encouraged to join the youth wing of the Sarakites political movement. That was the beginning of my experience with Saraki.

I noticed that he was well loved by many people. We started following him as disciples. He was an influential personality and a great philanthropist.

Saraki never a dictator but a democrat

During election periods, he used to allow his followers to make a choice of their representatives. However, where they failed to come up with their personal representatives, Saraki, because of his hatred for political rancour, would assist them under a consensus arrangement.

This arrangement (consensus) was started by this great politician and has become the acceptable solution today for political wrangling in Nigerian political circle.

In 1994, the junta jailed some politicians. But Saraki, around 1990, was among the politicians banned from politics by the military.

Despite the ban, the great politician never abandoned his followers. In fact, it was during this period that I contested for election into the House of Representatives in 1992 (Offa Constituency), which I won.

The method used then was consensus. It brought peace among the followers. Due to this peaceful arrangement, Saraki was endeared to many people in the state, including people from the present Kogi State. This system was and still remains what we refer to as Sarakites Movement.

Guardian Fileserver 1A:2Tuesday:Text:Pol-Shittu 4 Senate.docCriticised critics of Saraki's successor, Bukola Saraki, for alleged deviation from the legacies of his late father

The consensus system is what our new leader (Bukola Saraki) is still using till date. Those accusing him of being an impatient dictator are not sincere. They are being mischievous.

The consensus issue is what he is using like his father. For instance, if 20 people are jostling for a political post, we will prune the number to mere two; then we will eventually settle for one.

Of recent, the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, passed through the same system. We all agreed that he should be returned as APC candidate in the 2015 governorship polls.

Those dropped due to consensus arrangement often enjoy alternative offices

Those people dropped due to our system always understand that they would be compensated with other positions within the political structure. It is a unique system and to the best of my knowledge, no other state of the federation does it.

Those who don't believe in the system are the ones calling him a dictator. But with my experience in life and my modest academic attainment, I will never stay with a dictator. The deduction to be drawn from this is that if I am staying with him, and he is not a dictator.

There should be fear of God in politics. You don't play politics with lies. The truth must be told; that is what is called the phenomenon of the Sarakites. We always look at zoning and this guides us to be fair to everybody.

Even the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level recently adopted President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term running in office. The irony of it is that most of the critics of the consensus arrangement had at one time or the other been in our camp. In their heart of hearts, they don't mean their criticisms.

Members of the opposition parties in Kwara's politics are paperweight politicians.

The so-called opposition members came out of the Sarakites group. We were members of the same political family. They are aggrieved people who, for one reason or the other, decided to break away. We know ourselves very well. They can't master the game as children more than their father.

But one thing with the Sarakites is that if they want to return to the fold, they will be heartily received by us. It is a matter of time. In fact, some of them are coming back. No ill feeling will be harboured against them. We shall welcome them back into the fold.

We are like a wall of Gibraltar. After all, any dog that strayed away will come back home. Very soon, those of them in the opposition will beat up themselves during their primary elections. They will lose in all the wards, wait and see.

Besides, most of the members of the opposition in Kwara don't have contact with the people at the grassroots. They should realise that whatever they are today politically, the Sarakites made them.

The phenomenon called Sarakites is built on rock; it can't be moved. We should rally round our leader, Bukola Saraki. God chose him for us; it has nothing to do with age.