By Ahmed Mubarak
The people of Kwara State have previously witnessed one of their own, supposedly the ‘Son of the Land,’ ascended to the position of the third-highest citizen in the federation. Upon assuming this crucial position, the state rejoiced, as it is a common saying among the people of Baruten that “I’d rather feed my corn to the hen at home than give it out to the wandering birds in the forest.”
But an insight into the accomplishments of the two former leaders of the National Assembly—Distinguished Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki of the 8th Senate and the Rt. Hon. Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila of the 9th House of Representatives—has been made potent, given the tremendous and solid achievements of the latter.
Yoruba people would say: “One may be charged to beat one of them to death if we must compare the abilities and capabilities of two children.” The undisputable accomplishments of the Rt. Honourable Speaker, who had only served as a one-time leader of the Assembly, have significantly flawed the achievements of our purported competent, unmatched life-changer, the Senate president of the 8th Assembly. It also brings to life the concerns of many people that he was focused on feathering his own nest instead of the fortunes of the people and state. The most painful thing is the insensitive manner that most of his supporters attempt to shut everyone down from talking about it as if he did Kwara a favour. No, we lost an opportunity.
Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, a man whose political charisma was nurtured out of his father’s political dynasty—a man who had his life handed to him on an elegant silver platter, is unavoidably accustomed to ease and servanthood. One cannot be sure if his premature intimate desire for power was nurtured along or borne out of the safe space painstakingly built with his father’s sweats and blood.
As a man who at a point had shown a life-marked ability and competence during his tenure as the governor of Kwara state, showing commitments to both state and national goals, he had, on a long run, vitiated the hope and aspirations of the people. It is an irony how he’d abandon the people and state for self- goals and his followers expect no interrogation of his past — as if he was a lord who did us a favour.
As of today, the tinkering of the national budgets by the legislators to incorporate constituency allowance, customary purchase, and personalization of legislative cars has rendered invalid the radical question: Are legislators meant to legislate or execute?
Perhaps for better clarification, we can hone in on some of the vital achievements of contemporary legislators like Femi Gbajabiamila, who today and tomorrow on the 2nd and 3rd of January respectively, is calling on the general public for the commissioning of some astounding projects executed during his tenure as a lawmaker. The projects, to be commissioned by the Lagos state Governor, His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, are briefly mentioned as follows: Femi Gbajabiamila Conference Center, LASU, Dualized Babs Animashaun Road and Census bridge, Surulere, Sam Shonibare Community Development Center, Surulere, Femi Gbajabiamila General Hospital Iyun Road, off Funsho Williams, Femi Gbajabiamila Hall of Residence, University of Lagos Akoka, Bode Thomas Police Station Census Area, Surulere, Femi Gbajabiamila mini stadium Orile, Coker Acuda LCDA Surulere Lagos, among others.
Although it is logical to identify some of the scintillating achievements of the 8th Senate under his leadership, having passed the highest number of bills (293) since 1999, including the popular ‘not too young to run bill’ and a significant interest in the nation’s growing security crisis, Mr. Saraki’s led administration was accused of serious scandals ranging from budget padding, delay in budget passage, non-transparency in the budget line items, among others.
Even though the 8th assembly enjoyed an unprecedented skewed allocation of constituency allowance, Senator Saraki had only erected a few dilapidated projects such as Erosion Control Drainage at Abata Sunkere Community and Barakat Community School, both in Ilorin West LGA, distribution of exercise books like an house of assembly aspirant among others.
There is hardly any single legacy project to show for it senate presidency. He could also not facilitate any tangible institution or programme. No personal bill of his own for the development of Kwara too. It is like he was never there. But that is not even all. Up there in the corridors of power, he also gave Kwara a bad name. Saraki now suffers massive trust issues from his contemporaries because of the manner he got the seat and the dubious politics of holding the executive to ransom. That kind of ‘amulumala’ principle now rubs off negatively on the image of a Kwara man, especially from Ilorin in the business of politics at the upper level.
The people of Kwara are then left with the same question: Is Dr. Bukola Saraki still worth a man whom their purpose and respective sovereignties can be surrendered for?