The term leadership could simply be defined as exemplified between the good people of Kwara State and their leader, the Nigerian senate president, Bukola Saraki, especially due to the result of the last presidential election.
Saraki, instead of being sad over the results, where the opposition party won massively, knew there was need to calm his people’s nerves and addressed their grievances. This is in order to find a lasting solution to the lingering peace of the state that’s being threatened by the opposition party’s ‘do or die’ attitude.
In the last 5 days, the senate president has touched base with his people and both have realised where there are needs to make amends, agreed to work together to shame those who used money and power harassment to sway votes.
The interactions led to revelations and self assessments.
Kwara electorates discovered to their chagrin that the alternatives they wanted to dump Saraki for don’t have the best interest of the people at heart, but to fight political foe and heavyweight, Bukola Saraki.
Saraki’s performance at the national assembly has been rated the best ever for any senate president, but the executive wouldnt want that as his predecessors used to be rubber stamped. Saraki stood his ground and ensured all bills followed due process, despite presidency embarrassments and character assassinations.
Also, his contributions to the civil service state like Kwara are massive as governor and representative.
In terms of development, overlooking the trademark of sabotage by the opposition party in painting a government in bad light as witnessed in the treatment of Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos State; where roads were intentionally destroyed and government contractors were threatened, Saraki’s love for the people and Kwara can’t be compared to someone like the current Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who dreams everyday of becoming a political leader of some sought through the bad door.
Lai Mohammed lacks the qualities expected of a leader. Aside from the fact that he lies at will, he is a selfish man whose only contribution in Kwara were only personal.
It is on record that proposals submitted to him by Kwarans were either ignored or diverted to his son. The only people that could boast of Lai’s presence in the presidency are his immediate family, even his Oro clan has bad tales of him.
Lai’s love for Kwara is only to sell the good people to his paymaster in Lagos to steal its resources. If this is not true, Osun State, which is already sold to Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, couldnt boast of being a success.
The case of the gubernatorial candidate is even more worrisome because his sudden connection with presidency got him juicy NNPC contracts, and since the windfall which runs into millions of dollars, he has been oppressing them with his new wealth and status. This is someone, who is also from a notable wealthy background but has never bothered to spread the wealth like Saraki does.
The people have therefore resolved to stick with Saraki no matter what.
The mistake has been made, but the effect could still be corrected. Saturday’s gubernatorial and house of assembly elections give room for redemption and hence the needed meeting with true political leader in Kwara, Sen. Bukola Saraki.
May Kwara people win.
By Tunde Ajose
Ajose is a political analyst. He writes from Lagos.
