Saraki and first coup in National Assembly -By Reuben Bojor

Now, the leadership of the National Assembly is in the hands of a new party, APC and the tussle for its leadership not different from what we had experienced from PDP from 1999 until date. The media is awash with the story of how Senator Bukola Saraki emerged. In the aftermath of the inauguration, the populace has blamed the party for determining who heads the legislature.

Needless do I say, that, it is the party sole right, to fill in its candidates of its choice in the all electoral positions albeit, the leadership of the National Assembly. The basis for a long lasting democracy and strength of the party is fount on the preferment given its candidate in parliamentary headships. It has become a norm in our polity that the president as the leader of the party must intervene in its choice of headship of the legislature.

I strongly disagree. This is because, for reason of what a president means, should live above board by passing the straight test of pett iness and parochial ways of leading the people which she behoves to lead as he/she sends bills concerning the people’s wellbeing and not a select few which I see as the basis of the presidential intervention in legislature headship. For instance, despite the rancour of the Obamacare, the Republicans may be deemed of not wanting it to become known but fact is, it was a bill that will succeed because it involves the underprivileged, which every government is meant to pursue.
And only until late, the President, earlier said what I commend him of, on not joining issues, because a great task awaits him to resolve. It has become a sore thumb in the way Senator Bukola Saraki emerged as Senate President. We are still not done with the measure of survival of the swiftest or fittest which I think, Senator Saraki outplayed. This writer is a staunch supporter of Senator Saraki becoming the Senate President.

I am deeply saddened for the senator and his cohorts who disbanded and riddled the Nigerian people, whereby taking us back to the Obasanjo days. I think, the climate of fear, that espouses desperation for clinging the position has only come from that exuberance and arrogance gotten from his peadiomorphism where we personally look for positions as though they are creativity, gift, talent, family affair but a responsibility and may one force himself to lead which comes from his povertymind, he is bound to fail.

The way it has gone, there was no way, Senator Bukola Saraki wouldn’t have emerged the Senate President even if other senators were present, and on the hint of how others are absent, everything was done in a hush and someone is a Senate President. Haba! From Lord Lugard to the Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerians have been having presidents by accidents and with this, we are still where we are. No leadership forces itself on the people, it is unsustainable. It is only president Mohammadu Buhari that has broken the jinx, which have come to stay with his ceaseless clamouring to take Nigerians out of the doldrums, which I pray he will because he had suffered to become.

Now, Senator Bukola Saraki for personal reasons, has once again, thrown Nigeria into poor light in the macabre that took place and like children in sweet shops, we could see the Dino Melayes, Obong Godswill Akpabios grinning and screaming as though a Nigerian had succeed in going to the moon. The political class only have a ‘divide and rule’ strategy in the course to acquire power. With the populace, a functionally illiterate one, they hoodwink and even sold dummies with them having nothing to contribute than watch how things go. One man whom has always been taken to the cleaners by political players is Senator Bola Tinubu.

The only politician who has the war chest of our democratic struggle is Senator Ahmed Tinubu because he stands for something and not for anything where he will fall for anything. The accusations showered on him of manacling the Lagos State resources and now set to enthrone the Nigeria Project for his private gains is baseless. From Lord Lugard to present, the political sphere lacks personalities younger ones will want to become save for the present Muhammadu Buhari and probably a Bola Tinubu for their steadfastness and commitment to achieve and probably fulfil their goals.

The entire political climate is littered with gas leaks and oil spills generals and civilians who lack the natural weapon from nuclear wisdom to take Nigeria out of the cesspool of social plagues but bearing a mindset that makes them liabilities and not assets as they ego-trip and scramble for power not for the reason to serve but to do otherwise. One thing we should know is that, history will continue to judge us on our private contributions to the upkeep of Nigeria, not based on being a PIG (philanthropists in government) where we steal and chose to be coerced.

That other senators were meeting somewhere, that APC is to blame, that godfatherism is perceived, that Tambuwalism is the way to go, that PDP is outdoing APC, does not matter. What’s of great concern is, the wide stability the National Assembly has attained has been bandied by one man and like Joseph Kabila, like Gnasingbe Eyadema, so is Senator Sakari, to make history not in the positive light but a blurred one, as one to plot the first coup in National Assembly. I see instability in the eighth National Assembly. Enjoy your stay as Senate President of the eighth Assembly.