Following the results of the 2019 general elections in Kwara State, the reaction of the Senate President and National Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki to the defeat has at attracted wide commendation from stakeholders in the state. HEAD POLITICS, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM writes on the issue.
The results of the last general elections held across Kwara State were shocking to many political analysts in the state to say the least. Against the expectation of sizeable number of people that the two major parties in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) will share the “spoils”, the latter cleared all the elective positions available from Senatorial down to the House of Assembly, including the governorship.
Although, the poll, according to the PDP, were fraught with intimidation, harassment and militarisation of the process by the APC using the instruments of Federal Government and security apparatus to influence the outcome of the exercise, it was expected that the scenario would trigger widespread violence as witnessed in other parts of the country.
However, the reverse was the case despite the perceived subversion of the will of the people in some strategic parts of the state, thanks to the maturity and magnanimity of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.
For many of his opponents and antagonists, the defeat which is the first time Bukola Saraki would experience such will be hard to swallow after putting in a lot of resources, time and energy into the process both at the state and national levels. Some were expecting him to hit up the polity in paint a picture of I-would-not-go-down-alone scenario.
But not only did the Senate President disappointed the doubting Thomases, his reaction has put him in the history books as a true elder statesman. Not only has the state gone ahead to be further recognised as a true state of harmony because of Saraki’s action, his response and actions afterwards have been applauded by many elites, leaders, traditional rulers, institutions and association across the state.
Saraki, who congratulated Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq the Governor-Elect, and all other elected candidates of the APC across board, further pointed out that the present political situation in the state would afford the people who are at the epicentre of the whole struggle, opportunity to compare and contrast between his style of service that places high premium on welfarism and that of the new sheriffs in town that is riding high on the wave of many promises.
Just like Saraki pointed out, all those who were elected even though they have political differences are not his enemies after all, and the state and its indigenes will be the better for it if all the gladiators are driven by service to change the narrative of the state for the better.
Leading the deluge of commendation that had come the way of the Senate President is the socio-cultural and influential organisation of the Ilorin Emirate Descendant Progressive Union (IEDPU). The body which has Dr Bukola Saraki as one of its patrons and his successor in the Senate, Yahaya Ibrahim Oloriegbe, its former National Financial Secretary, eulogised the Senate President for the show of magnanimity following the declaration of results of the poll.
According to the body in a statement by its Acting National President, Alhaji Yahaya Ahmed, it hailed the fascinating spirit of patriotism and statesmanship exhibited by the Senate President on the outcome of the just concluded general elections in the state.
The union equally praised other Ilorin compatriots, who contested for various offices in the elections but lost out for the matured manner with which they handled the situation.
The IEDPU said that history will be very kind to Saraki and others for their previous services and, most especially, for the matured manner they handled the outcome of the elections.
The group also congratulated Alhaji AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq on his emergence as the Governor-elect of Kwara state, describing his victory as the will of Allah and further felicitated with Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Cook-Olododo, Alhaji Yekini Alajagusi as well as other Ilorin compatriots who were elected into various legislative houses.
For, the Third Estate Forum, another Ilorin-based socio-cultural group, Saraki among other gladiators must be commended over violence-free elections in Kwara despite the “drums of war” that trailed the poll.
The group poured encomiums on the Senate President for his maturity and show of sportsmanship after the release of the results of the just concluded general elections in the state.
The Third Estate Forum expressed satisfaction with Saraki’s matured conduct after the announcement of the outcome of polls result in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Yushau Abdulhameed Agaka.
“The spirit of sportsmanship displayed by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Hon Razak Atunwa, significantly helped to douse tensions and ensured sustainability of peace and security, which are the major precursors for development.
“We must salute the courage and maturity of others who lost in the various elections. Their astonishing emotional composure despite suffering electoral misfortunes ensured that calm, peace and orderliness prevailed across the entire state after INEC declared the various election results,” it stated.
The forum equally congratulated the Governor-elect of the state, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq on his victory and all elected APC candidates.
It noted that the actions, words, body language and conduct of winners and losers in the elections had ensured peace and stability in Kwara.
“We congratulate the Kwara State Governor-Elect, Alh. Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman, the Senator-Elect for Kwara Central, Dr Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, who is our member and other elected federal lawmakers and state House of Assembly members, not only for their deserving victory at the polls but for being magnanimous in victory. This shows that their aspiration to lead is patriotic, selfless and purposeful.
“We must also remind elected officers that the tasks ahead are enormous. Hence, they must be prepare to hit the ground running after assuming office, come May 29. Their campaign promises are articles of faith that should not be jettisoned. They must be implemented to the letter.
“We wish to offer our sincere goodwill and pledge our unalloyed support to the incoming administration in the state. As a non-partisan group committed to the socio-economic growth of our community, we shall not hesitate to offer our dispassionate, genuine and objective observation, opinion advice and complimentary support —all in a bid to move our great state to the next level of accelerated development, extraordinary progress, and unparalleled transformation”, it noted.
Also, the Council of Muslim Organisations (CMO), in Kwara State commended the spirit of sportsmanship that was displayed by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki for accepting the outcome of the election and for congratulating the Governor-elect.
CMO in a statement signed by its coordinator and former Grand Kadi of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Idris Haroon, said Saraki’s action typifies him as a man of honour, and a true leader who preaches and embraces peace.
It added that, “We congratulate the Governor-elect, Alhaji Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq and other elected sons and daughters of our beloved Emirate and Kwara State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress. May the Almighty Allah endow them with the wisdom, courage and strength to steer the ship of the state to the shore of greatness and prosperity.
“The Council equally felicitates with the good people of Kwara State for the way and manner they conducted themselves throughout the period of election, which was devoid of violence and bickering. This demonstrated our sense of maturity and sincere commitment to live in peace and harmony”.
It thanked the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari for his fatherly role and prayers which contributed to the success of the elections.
