By Adebayo Olodan
No fewer than 38 beneficiaries of the Saraki dynasty have been listed as members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Presidential Campaign flag off committee.
The committee will among other things ensure a hitch free preparation and hosting of the campaign of President Buhari on Tuesday February 12, 2019 in Kwara State.
In an advertorial published yesterday, in The Nation’s newspaper, the beneficiaries of the Saraki dynasty were spread across various committees which include; Contact and Mobilization, Welfare, Protocol, Programme, Venue and Publicity Committee.
Named as Chairman of the Contact and Mobilzation Committee is Hon Ezekiel Benjamin Isa, a trained nurse who was speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly (KWHA) from 1999-2003 through the support of the late political icon, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki.
Also in the Contact and Mobilzation Committee is Musbau Esinrogunjo, who was an ardent follower of the patriarch of the Saraki dynasty, Late Olusola Saraki. Ahead of the 2011, Esinrogunjo who was a former leader of the National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS) held the position of Director, Youth Mobilisation at ABS Campaign office.
Others beneficiaries in the committee are; Hajia Ramat Okin Olaide, who is now the All Progressives Congress (APC) Woman Leader, former Federal House of Representatives aspirant, Ilorin West/Asa constituency, Ibrahim Akaje and Moshood Alaro.
In the Protocol Committee are; Senators Makanjuola Ajadi (Chairman) and Muhammed Ahmed. The duo served at different times as senator representing Kwara South and Kwara North through the support of the Saraki dynasty from 1999 – 2007. In the same committee is Hon Moshood Mustapha who served as Special Adviser, Commissioner for Lands and Housing and Commissioner for Agriculture when the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki was governor of Kwara State (2003-2011). He afterward served the people of Ilorin West/Asa in the Federal House of Representatives and was lately an aide of Saraki on Legislative Matters. Also on the list is former General Manager of Kwara State Television under Saraki’s tenure as governor, Alh. Modibbo I’shaq Kawu. Others are Chief Wole Oke and Hon Rasaq Hassan Bamu.
In the Publicity Committee as Chairman is Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin, who served as commissioner for Information when Saraki was governor of Kwara State and Special Adviser of Communication and Strategy to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed during his first tenure.
Similarly, the present Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Tajudeen Aro was at one-time the chairman of Offa Local Government through the Saraki dynasty.
Alhaja Mairo Mustapha, who also made the Publicity Committee, rose through various managerial positions until her retirement at Radio Kwara with Saraki as governor.
Also in the same committee is Muyideen Aliu, a former reporter and News Editor of National Pilot newspaper, a medium owned and funded by the Senate President.
In the Venue Committee are; former speaker of the KWHA and ex-minister of Sports and Youths Development, Hon Isa Bio Ibrahim and former commissioner for Environment in the state and ex-lawmaker, Barr. Kayode Towoju. Other beneficiaries of the dynasty in the venue committee include; Hon Ali Mande, Muritala Sambo and Alh. Nasiru Ubandawaki.
