By Mumini AbdulKareem
Oyinkansola Saraki, the acclaimed younger sister of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki came under fire last night over comment criticising his brother’s performance during the latter’s tenure as two-time governor of Kwara State.
Oyinkansola, while featuring on a National TV programme, last week asked for forgiveness from Kwarans on behalf of the family over how the state was governed during Saraki’s tenure.
But her remarks witnessed strong reactions from former cabinet members, lawmakers and council chairmen with many of them of the view that Saraki’s tenure was a defining moment in the history of Kwara State.
According to a former commissioner in the state, Hon Abraham Ashaolu, who was also a member of the 7th Kwara State House of Assembly, the Senate President was very innovative and changed the phase of Ilorin metropolis.
“Bukola Saraki dualised over 90 per cent of all the roads in Ilorin today. From Offa Garage down to Yebumot that pass through Asa-Dam, Geri-Alimi, Olorunshogo and Offa Garage to Michael Imoudu were initially single lanes before Saraki dualised them. He also constructed the cargo terminal and uplifted facilities at the airport.
“Saraki brought the Kwara State University, Malete, Oke-Ode College of Nursing, massive renovation of the stadium complex including the overheard bridge at Post Office. In an attempt to criticize the incumbent governor, the opposition has even alluded to Saraki’s performance.
“This (attack) may be coming from the opposition, we can’t rule that out and it is always a common thing for people to make a dishonest assessment of their opponent which is bad for our politics”, he added.
In the words of another former commissioner and ex-lawmaker, Hajia Nimota Ibrahim, Oyinkansola is not known in Ilorin adding that it’s not on record that the late Saraki has any daughter named Oyinkansola.
“We don’t know of any Oyinkansola. As far as I am concern, she is faceless and it’s not on record that Saraki has another daughter called Oyinkansola.
“I think we should throw away her submission because she is not part of what we do in Kwara. What audacity or right does she have to comment on what we do rightly or wrongly? She can only comment if she is part of it. I don’t even know her and I don’t know where she got her fact and figures to condemn the government and leadership of Dr Bukola Saraki.
“Saraki has tried his best in every area as governor, Senator and Senate President. Yes, we can’t satisfy everybody but one cannot also do everything. As somebody that has worked with him (Saraki), I believe he has tried his best and if his best is not good enough for Oyinkansola and her likes, we keep our fingers cross for them.
“At least there are another set of people on board now. There is no basis for comparism for now because they have just won an election. Let them start to work before we can compare. Her statement is rather unfortunate,” she added.
Similarly, the former chairman of Kwara State Scholarship Board and a two-time lawmaker, Hon Isiaka Mogaji said he was surprised to hear such statement from someone who claimed to be from Saraki’s family. Maybe he has a personal issue with him otherwise he wouldn’t have been condemning him.
He said, “The level of infrastructure development witnessed during Saraki’s tenure was unprecedented.
“As a part of the government as a former lawmaker from 2003-2011, I know there were a number of executive bills passed that included the establishment of KWASU, now one of the best states universities in Nigeria. Such assertion is without reservation because I travelled to about nine states operating private universities at the point of establishing KWASU and ours was the best. The bill was very rich and Saraki then was very committed.
“The Government House and Deputy Governor’s Office were rebuilt during Saraki’s tenure and we witnessed a lot of rural infrastructure, road construction, health and agricultural improvement including micro finance scheme among others. It was during his term that the Hygeia concept was introduced where with the payment of N350, you can be liable for a treatment worth N75,000. That was when Kwara was given the cleanest state in the whole of the country through the Clean and Green which was sustained throughout his tenure.
“Even the traditional rulers benefitted a lot during Saraki’s term and he carried them along and gave them sense of belonging. Their salaries were reconstructed and allocation was increased from 2.5 per cent when Saraki came in 2003 to 5 per cent.
“So I wonder why this Oyinkansola is saying what she is saying now. To some of us, this is the first time I am hearing about any Oyinkansola because we know Baba’s children and in the cause of my interaction with Saraki’s family, this name was never mentioned to me, maybe she was sponsored by the opposition.
For a former council chairman of Oke-Ero, Hon James Niyi Olaniyan, whoever is saying that should be ignored because it means they are ignorant.
“Why now, since all these years that Saraki governed the state. I was a member of the council then and Saraki performed all his duties diligently as expected. There were lot of development and infrastructure put in place by his government. I remember as the chairman of Oke-Ero, he used to tell us then that he has not sent us to go and pay debts but develop the local government.
He kept on reminding us about structures. Because of that, what I was able to do in Oke-Ero is still being talked about today.
“When we that were under him performed very strictly, what about him,” he submitted.
