OPINION: Bukola Saraki and the 'Politics' of Politics. By Titi Dami

Date: 2015-11-29

However removed anyone chooses to be from the eccentricity of Nigeria's political system, we eventually all get involved at the end of the day. From the cab man who drives around the city narrating his ordeal about how he managed to fuel his car, to the blacksmith who has to send money to his son in the North, we all eventually find ourselves discussing politics and governance –all within the horizon and privy of the information we can gather and digest.

So far, with what I have been able to digest regarding the case of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, I believe that all Nigerians need to put some deep thought into it. At this time when everyone sees what the papers are reporting at face value, I feel the need to comment on this because looking beyond what the ordinary, and leaving all issues of bitterness and slandering and jargon about past acts, there is a certain disturbing undertone to the Senate President's case.

The public opinion court, which draws its judges and jury from social and traditional media, has tried to analyze and over-analyze the ongoing trial of Saraki based on news and stories we read day in day out. Some have said that Saraki has questions to answer before the court, and as such, he should clear his name. However, every Nigerian out there who has attained puberty would agree with me that there is something called 'the politics of politics' and Saraki, as a politician, is currently caught in the middle of a high-stakes game of this politics of politics.

Politics of politicking is usually beyond what the eyes can neither meet, nor words can explain. Therefore it is usually an art of the mind only understood by those who can discern beyond the common, and grasp at the hidden insinuations that lie hidden between the lines. Among the questions begging to be unraveled are: why would the Senators and House of Representative members who are the rightful representatives of the Nigerian masses keep standing firm in support for the Senate President?

These representatives are in no doubt the ambassadors of all the men and women across Nigeria, and as seemingly indicting as the CCT case against Saraki is, they have all maintained one solid ground that the CCT is persecuting the Senate President rather than prosecuting him.

A handful of Senators have even gone as far as issuing statements stating clearly that they believe that the case against Saraki is nothing but a political witchunt. If those closer to the corridors of power are saying this based on 'in-house' information, what should this signify to the rest of us who think that the 'face-value representation' of Saraki's case at the CCT is as straightforward as it seem?

Another question to ask is: who stands to benefit from Saraki's downfall, and who stands to lose? Is this not another clear case of the masses being used by a powerful cabal that is hell-bent on using the media to tilt national issues in their favour?

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that some guy called Martin Luther King once said that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." In this regard, no matter how good the intentions of our President might be, we need to remind him that two wrongs can never make a right. Most importantly he is not a god to use the machineries of the state to decide who is tried and who is left alone. Or who deserves to preside over the legislature, and who should not. This is a democracy.

Some say that the President's body language does not support corruption. I cry folly. Weren't members of the President's own cabinet like Fashola, Amaechi, and Fayemi accused of wrong doings? Why is the President shielding some people from being investigation and being selective in his role as the Chief Security Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

We all understand that politics is a game for the lionhearted, however, this game should not be played at the detriment to Nigeria's democratic principles. The law should not be used to favour some and shield others. The law should also not be used as a weapon against those one considers enemies, and a safeguard for those one holds close as friends. The law must be equal, all the time. Regardless of who is being tried, no matter what his alleged sins are.

For this reason, I say: the case against Saraki is politically motivated.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Aminu Adisa Logun     Musa Alhassan Buge     Siraj Oyewale     Kunle Akogun     Sun Qing Rong     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Federal Allocation     Woro     Government House     Oke-Kura     Kumbi Titiloye     Stephen Fasakin     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Barakat Community Secondary School     Emir Of Kano     Kehinde Boyede     Kwara State Geographic Information Service     Sola Saraki University     Amule     Mufutau Olatinwo     National Information Technology Development Agency     Zara Umar     Idofin     Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi     Toyin Sanusi     Post-utme     Peter Amogbonjaye     UTME     Adaramaja     Saidu Yaro Musa     Ekweremadu     Belgore     The Herald     Sardauna Of Ilorin     NIPOGA     Ayodele Shittu     Kwara 2023     Oko Erin     Mumini Ishola Hanafi     Baruten     Alapansapa     Abdul Jimoh Mohammed     Adama Isa     Alfa Belgore     Kayode Oyin-Zubair     Olomu Of Omu-Aran     Jawondo     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Alabi Lawal     Wahab Isa     David Oyedepo     MalHub     Niguel Gallando Marcias     Erubu     Police Commissioner     Abdul-Rahoof Bello     Ilorin South Constituency     Ganmo Power Sub-Station     Saraki     Henry Olaosebikan     Olusin Of Ijara Isin     Taofeek Sanusi     Turaki Of Ilorin     Idowu Aremu     Principal Private Secretary     Lithium     Senate     Tunji Folami     Tanke Flyover Bridge     Kazeem Oladepo     Suleiman Ajadi     Awoye     NITDA     Kisra     Tinubu Legacy Forum     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     IESA    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Kwara Politics     Abdulquowiyu Olododo     Ibrahim Jawondo     James Kolo     Agbarigidoma     Hamza Usman     Mustapha Olanipekun     Olomu     Abubakar Abdullahi Bata     Adeola Abraham     Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital     Islamic Development Bank     Kunle Akogun     John Dara     Ilorin Like-Minds     Mahfouz Adedimeji     Ahmed Bolaji Nagode     Curfew     Saka Abimbola Isau     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Bankole Omisore     Adebara     COVID-19 Palliatives     Aliyu Salihu     Oluwole Dupe     Afolabi-Oshatimehin     Adeniyi Ojo     Babajide Ajayi     Vishvas KOZ Tractors     Aliyu Olatunji Ajanaku     Afonja     Ilorin Water Reticulation     Lawal Arinola Kudirat     Folorunsho Erubu     Gani Saadu     Bisi Oyeleke     Ballah     Lukman Adeloyin     Bolakale Kawu     Babaloja-General     Offa Poly     CT Ayeni     Cassava Growers\' Association     Bureau Of Lands     New Model Police Station     Medview Airlines     GANZY     Shaaba Lafiagi     ITEM 7     Senate Presidency     Tunji Olawuyi     Quareeb Islamic Association     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Majlis For Sadaqah, Zakat And Waqf     Umar Gunu     Ramat Oganija     Olatunji Moronfoye     Taofeek Ibraheem     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     Buari Edun     Budo-Egba     IQRA College     Abdulraufu Mustapha     Kabir Shagaya     IF-K     Student Learning Support Helpline     Abiodun Abdulkareem     Forgo Battery     Sunday Fagbemi     Dumagi     Ahmad Fatima Bisola     Offa     Egbejila     Idi-Ape     Yusuf Amuda Abubakar     Mumeen Lah     Olabanji Orilonishe