A reminisce of an encounter with Saraki
The encounter which took place at the Ilorin- residence of Saraki during the Eid-El Kabir festivity of that year was organized as part of the late politician’s media campaign at the height of his political battle with ex-Governor Mohammed Lawal, a retired Air Commodore and former Military Administrator of Ogun State. Oloye, as Saraki was […]
The encounter which took place at the Ilorin- residence of Saraki during the Eid-El Kabir festivity of that year was organized as part of the late politician’s media campaign at the height of his political battle with ex-Governor Mohammed Lawal, a retired Air Commodore and former Military Administrator of Ogun State. Oloye, as Saraki was fondly called by his admirers and political loyalists had deplored his wealth and political structures to install Lawal as Kwara State Governor in 1999 under the platform of the APP. Mid-way his tenure it dawned on him that he was not going to get a second term so he decided to team up with the erstwhile National Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Garba Ali and the party’s Governors to checkmate the over-bearing influence of the political giant. They plotted to de-mystify Saraki by ensuring that Lawal did not only control the party, but also get a second term in office, obstensibly against the wish of his godfather.
Lawal parted ways with Saraki following allegations that Oloye was planning for the emergence of his son, Bukola, to succeed the Governor in 2003, an accusation Saraki repeatedly denied at that time. But in spite of such denials, Lawal would not leave anything to chance. He knew the capacity and capability of Saraki when it came to politics in Kwara. Lawal knew the fate that befell his late predecessor, Alhaji Adamu Attah , the first civilian Governor of old Kwara State in 1979, when he contested for a second term in 1983. I shall return to this later.
Lawal, acting in tandem with the national executive committee (NEC) of his party and his colleague Governors, dissolved the Kwara State executive council which was put in place almost single handedly by Saraki and used for the election of Lawal. This was immediately followed with the removal of Oloye’s loyalists in Lawal’s cabinet. Those actions were aimed at enabling the Governor get a firmer control of the party structure in the State preparatory to the governorship primaries and the general elections respectively.
The situation led to the emergence of a faction composed mainly of Saraki’s supporters notably the sacked commissioners; other aides of the governor and the removed members of the executive committee. The battle line was finally drawn between Saraki’s group and the governor’s. But due to the non-recognition of the faction led by Saraki by the National headquarters of the APP, on the directive of the Leader, the faction dissolved easily into the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP). His son eventually became Lawal’s successor in 2003 under the PDP. Perhaps, Lawal was vindicated.
Students of Saraki’s brand of politics would attest to the fact that Oloye always fell apart with politicians he helped to occupy Government House, Ilorin. During the Second Republic, the late Adamu Alhaji got the taste of Oloye’s dose of political medicine. Saraki, more than anybody contributed to the success of Attah in 1979, but midway into Attah’s tenure, both political godfather and godson parted ways and Saraki swore to stop Attah from securing a second term in office. The Leader without any pretence warned the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and its caucus against fielding the then incumbent as flag bearer in 1983. The warning was disregarded. Saraki went on to boast that the NPN would sweep all elections in Kwara except that of the governorship. It turned out to be so. Attah lost the poll to Chief Cornelius Adebayo of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
Oloye was also instrumental to the making of Alhaji Mohammed Lafiaji governor of Kwara under the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) during the ill-fated Third Republic under the General Ibrahim Babangida transition programme. Lafiaji did not last more than two years in office as the Gen. Sani Abacha-led regime sacked the illegal Interim National Government (ING) headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan in November1993. The regime also disbanded all political structures put in place by Babangida. If there was any disagreement between Saraki and Lafiaji, such was not pronounced.
Having been aware of what transpired between Attah and Saraki in the Second Republic and also now reporting the quarrel between the leader and Lawal, it was not difficult for me to put the following question to Oloye during that media encounter. ‘Sir, why is it that you always quarreled with those you helped make governor of your State? The Oloye confessed that he did not know why he had what he termed “unlucky phenomenon” because according to him he was always betrayed by the very people he helped politically. He however explained that his disagreement with Attah was the result of the latter’s failure to fix a particular road after he had promised he was going to do so. According to Saraki, a traditional ruler who he had high regards for had led a delegation to meet him at the National Assembly, Tafawa Balewa square in Lagos where he was the Majority Leader of the Senate and requested him to impress it on the governor to do the road. But when the request fell through, Saraki said he decided to turn against the governor.
Garba Yedimakudon wrote from No.1B Sukuta street, Wuse II, Abuja