Editorial

The travails of brother Bukola

 

Out of the blues the allegation came that certain persons who the police alleged to have participated in the armed robbery that killed 33 people in Offa, Kwara state in April may have been sponsored by the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki. The allegation was so ridiculous that on a normal day, it will be treated with disdain and as a joke.
But these are no ordinary days. Things have changed in the last several months if not years; but more particularly, since a few months ago. Things took a dangerous turn since around the time that the President of the Senate raised an alarm at plenary that there were plans by police authorities to implicate not just him but the Governor of Kwara state, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed.
When this plan was exposed by Saraki, not a lot of people took it serious. As a matter of fact people took it with a pinch of salt. Not because it was not possible but because of the personages involved.
People wondered how on earth the police high command could have the temerity to seek to indict the number three citizen in such an awkward manner. They reasoned and you will pardon them that such a thing was stranger than fiction. At the time, the issue was about certain elements arrested in the state who confessed to being cultists and who also confessed to have killed people. How those activities had anything to do with the President of the Senate remains largely what the police is yet to tell the public.
Then came the arrest of the alleged robbers. In the confessional statement of one of them, he never mentioned any association with Saraki for robbery or any other crime. He stated how they got guns for their operation and how the operation and the dastardly killing of 33 innocent citizens were carried out. Nowhere did the man mention the governor or Saraki. The only mention was where he stated that he like other young people were beneficiaries of what has come to be known as “empowerment” in political parlance in Nigeria.
Empowerment is the recognition and donation of money or items to  people within constituencies where politicians come from.
This is done to spread dividends of democracy where these citizens are not staff members of the civil service. This is more like a social security which helps to ameliorate poverty and secure community harmony and security. The assistance can come in different ways. Cash transfers, provision of vocational training and equipment, vehicles and several other initiatives are part of this empowerment. Indeed, some communities prefer roads rehabilitation, provision of school classroom blocks, boreholes, etc
In the case of the Senate President, this is a man that has had long years of philanthropy and political engagement. He comes from a family that is well known to be givers. In the course of this gesture, it is possible that all manner of people may have passed through the programme. Being beneficiaries of benevolence does not translate to being friends or accomplices with Saraki. Saraki is peace loving as such cannot be found with anyone who has tendencies for such bestial inclinations; certainly not anywhere much less in his own state.
We blame all these on politics. But this is dangerous politics. Although we do not yet have quarters to point to however, the whole shenanigan points to high wired politics. If so, it is unfortunate and criminal. We say this because since Saraki became President of the Senate in 2015, there have been many schemes by individuals who feel their presence are diminished with the ascension of the former Kwara governor to the position he presently occupies. They therefore weaved many schemes to try to tarnish his image without success.
This too shall fail. But we call on the president and all persons of goodwill to prevail on the police authorities to toe the path of honour and propriety. We cannot run government like this. We should be circumspect with the schemes we plant today. We trust that Saraki cannot be involved in such acts as being surreptitiously painted by the police. Time will acquit the just. Politics is a noble profession for the betterment of society. We urge tact and decorum. The police should not lend itself the agents of destabilisation. In the end we will see that this was just a smokescreen.

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