The firestorm generated by the Code of Conduct, CCT arraignment of Senate president, Bukola Saraki over alleged false declaration of his assets when he was governor of Kwara State has taken the dimension of political witch hunting. At least, that's the view of his numerous supporters, especially fellow senators who came to that conclusion after the recent Supreme court's denial of the Senate president's prayer to prevent CCT from further prosecuting him. In a terse statement, majority of the members of the red chambers, reaffirmed their confidence in Saraki's leadership while pledging to sustain their unflinching support for their embattled leader throughout his travail.

Left with no other option, and perhaps buoyed by the exaltation of his colleagues, Saraki is now looking forward to his day in court, early next month where he will either shine or melt.

Normally , witch hunting is not an uncommon part of politics and anyone who is in doubt, should ask Hillary Clinton , former First Lady, senator and secretary of state of the United States of America, and presently the Democratic Party front runner for the White House.

The 'banana peel' to borrow the Nigerian lingo, deliberately put on the path to the Oval Office for Mrs Clinton to step on, slip and fall to prevent her from getting there is known to all keen observers of the race to the presidency of the USA.

That's why a sad event on an ordinary day, during her time as Secretary of State, such as the attack on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya, where the USA ambassador, Chris Stevens and a couple of other compatriots were killed by Libyan terrorists, became a sort of albatross that would define her candidacy for the presidency.

Likewise for former two term governor, and now Senate president, Bukola Saraki, whom forces, Similar to the ones intent on hamstringing Senator Clinton in far away USA, seem to be determined here in Nigeria to equally undo him as Senate president and ruin his chances of running for the presidency in 2019 or beyond.

Just like Hillary Clinton, who the ghosts from her time as Secretary of State, suddenly started popping up as soon as she announced her interest in the presidency, Saraki's alleged breach of public service code with respect to his network during his term as governor is being dangled like the sword of damocles over his head.

The difference between both situations with Clinton in the USA and Saraki in Nigeria, is that while Clinton is confronting her demons barely 10 months to when President Barack Obama is supposed to hand over to his successor on Jan 20, 2017, Saraki is embroiled in a presidential ambition motivated legal tango, less than eight months into the commencement of the new regime which has four years or 96 months tenure.

Make no mistake about it, not all politicians can stand the heat of blackmail and scandal. Take the recent case in the United Kingdom, for instance.

Chuka Umunna, a Labour Party leadership front runner in the U.K. dramatically abandoned his candidacy barely after three days of launching it for fear of the muck which might be raked up about him, his fiancée and his mum.

Hear him: "Since the night of our defeat last week, l have been subject to added level of pressure that comes with being leadership candidate". According to him "l have not found it to be comfortable experience. One can imagine what running for leadership can be like. I understand its demands and attention, but nothing compares to doing it and the impact on the rest of one's life. Consequently, after further reflections, I am withdrawing my candidacy".

You can imagine that the scenario above is the sort of attitude that the fear of blackmail could have compelled Hillary Clinton and Bukola Saraki in the USA and Nigeria respectively to adopt, but alas the pair of Clinton and Saraki are made of sterner stuff, hence they have decided that instead of chickening out like Chuka Umunna in the UK, they are soldiering on.

The duo of Hilary Clinton and Bukola Saraki are veterans of many political battles. Along with her husband former president Bill Clinton, Hillary survived the famous whitewater real estate scandal that rocked the then governor of the state of Arkansas's presidential quest for No 1600 Pensilvania Avenue, Washington DC—which is the White House and residential address of US presidents.

Similarly, Bukola has been in the trenches for most of his political life. After serving as presidential aide during Olusegun Obasanjo era,with the support of his father, regarded as the godfather of Kwara state politics, he fought and won the governorship of the state. As if he had affinity with conflicts, Bukola was embroiled in a sibling feud that pitched him against his sister, Senator Gbemi, who wanted to succeeded him as governor.

Fearing the potential consequences of handing over the reins of government to his sibling, with the attendant concern that Kwarans may wonder if the governance of the state is a family heirloom of the Sarakis, Bukola demurred. That is in addition to the fact that the existential reality in the state is that it is predominantly a Muslim state where women are not usually heard or seen.

His seeming obstinacy pitched him against his patriarch dad who was on the side of his daughter in the 'internecine' war and passed away after Bukola won the battle and Gbemi lost.

Although, Bukola has been battle tested, the struggle for the Senate presidency is by far the most fierce and formidable political battle so far fought by the embattled senator.

With an array of powerful forces with the sole purpose of torpedoing his ship of ambition to lead the Senate, he put on his thinking cap and came up with bizarre, if not Byzantine strategies, like sleeping over the night in a car in NASS car park to avoid being arrested or kidnapped by his formidable foes who were intent on preventing him from presenting himself for election as Senate president.

-Onyibe, a development strategist, is an alumnus of Fletcher School of Law And Diplomacy, Massachusetts, USA