Torn by party affiliations, Saraki, Gbemisola reunite at father’s 8th-year remembrance prayers 

Siblings torn by party affiliations reunite over father’s death

The eighth-year remembrance of the late strongman of Kwara Politics and former Senate Leader, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki on Saturday reunited the former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and his sister and Minister of State for Transport, Senator Gbemisola Rukayyat Saraki.

Late Saraki, the Second Republic Senate Leader, died eight years ago on November 14, 2012.

A remembrance prayer was held for  the late Saraki at his Iloffa GRA residence with scores of Saraki’s associates and supporters of the PDP in attendance.

But the high point of the ceremony was the reunion of the former Senate President and his sister who is a Minister in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The former Senate President had made a triumphant entry to Ilorin the Kwara State capital early today, the very first time he would be visiting after the 2019 general elections where all the PDP candidates including himself lost.

After a special prayer was held for late Saraki fondly called Oloye, former Senate President and his sister were led to the tomb of their father to offer prayers.

A prominent Lagos-based cleric, Sheikh Sulaiman Farooq Onikijipa led the prayer as was seen in a video from the event.

The cleric however asked both Sarakis to place their hands on top each other’s in what was seen as a reunion of siblings torn apart by party affiliations.

Sheikh Onikijipa prayed Allah whom he said has been with the family since the death of their patriarch eight years ago to continue to hold the family together.