By Mumini AbdulKareem and Matthew Denis
Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Saturday arrived to a rousing reception in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
Saraki who arrived the Ilorin International Airport around 1:20pm in one of the presidential fleets was received by mammoth crowd of party supporters and sympathisers who had waited at the facility for about two hours to receive him.
Dressed in a flowing white Babariga with white cap to match, Saraki was full of smiles and exhumed confidence waving to the crowd in his usual style whenever he is in town.
His presence in Ilorin dispelled reports about his alleged emaciation after he lost the bid to return to the Senate.
With chants of ‘OtunYa’, ‘Sai Bukky’, ‘Oloye’ and ‘leader’, among others, many of the supporters who were visibly excited were seen drumming and singing amidst different party paraphernalia including Fez cap, T-Shirts and umbrella with the party’s logo inscribed.
They assured the Senate President of their continued support and unalloyed loyalty especially in the forthcoming governorship election.
The situation caused heavy traffic around the airport road. Motorists and other road users had a hectic time on the Ilorin-Ogbomosho road, as Saraki’s supporters lined both sides of the road with vehicles stretching for about five kilometers.
Okada riders in their numbers also joined Saraki’s convoy while other supporters were seen trekking towards Gerin-Alimi road.
This is the first time Saraki will be coming to the state after the presidential and National Assembly elections held last Saturday.
Although, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced his opponent, Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe as the winner, Saraki had since expressed serious reservations about the conduct of the poll which reportedly disenfranchise many of the party supporters.
