Opinion: Dr Bukola Saraki At Three Scores by Hon. Kayode Abdulwahab-Omotose PhD

Determination and grit; focus and clear-mindedness; fairness and fearlessness are critical elements of the characteristics of leadership that were identified by philosophers, since the time of Plato, Ibn Khaldun, and others. At the dawn of the fourth republic in 1999, I was privileged to be at the ringside to watch political events as they unfolded. I was the Chief Correspondent of Thisday newspapers in Kwara State and I had seen the military leaders of different couration at a close range.
When the first elections threw up its set of leaders during the new democratic rule, APP in Kwara State, won the three senatorial seats, five of the six seats in the House of Representatives and eighteen of the twenty-four at the state legislature . The party was effectively in government, in the state. However at the top level of the federal government the PDP held sway under President Olusegun Obasanjo, and the party controlled the majority of the members at the National Assembly.
While the administration was thumping along, the name of Dr Bukola Saraki was announced as the Special Assistant on Budget. It elicited some divided opinions, but it was settled in the fact that under a presidential system, the Head of the Government was at liberty to invite people who could help him succeed in the running of his administration. Realistically, the choice was often slided in favour of academic endowment and or experiential prowess. Those were the deciding factors that came to play in his appointment. What dogged the first term of the Obasanjo administration was the delay in budget presentation and haphazard implementation. Gradually, things changed, at it started looking up in this sphere. Many Nigerians, including myself, could not see that a new hand was working behind the scene. But by the design of fate I never knew, that it was just a matter of time for this to happen.
After the 2003 election when Dr Bukola Saraki became the Governor and I, the Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, I worked much closely with him to know and appreciate the pull, push and propelling factors that made him the person he is, particularly his respect for the rule of law. This is exemplified by when the law on the Order of Precedence was not obeyed at public functions, I called the attention of the Director of Protocol to this disobedience. But he appeared torn between the three arms of government; legislature, executive and judiciary. During one of my conveyance of an assignment that Governor Bukola gave to me, I went with the law which had been passed by the National Assembly and all the 36 State Houses of Assembly between 1999-2003. In the law, whoever disobey would go to jail without the option of fine. The Governor in very specific language, directed the DOP to obey the law or face the consequences alone.
Pranky Barrister Fatai Bakinni, the Special Assistatnt of the Governor to the fifth legislature he went straight to impress on the DOP that he risks going to the gaol. The matter did become bad at the national levelthat it caused distractions in the government.
On the record, it was the first issue that the National Assembly exerted its constitutional powers of a minimum of two- thirds majority to override the veto of President Obasanjo.To me, I saw Dr Bukola, who wants to obey the law.
In December 2003, I went to the Government House in the delivery of an assignment he had given to me. He suddenly brought up the issue of 2004 budget and in particular the provisions of sections 122-124 which states that the appropriation bill of the succeeding year, must be presented in the previous fiscal year. Alas, he physically ensured that he sat with all arms of government including the ministries and parastatals to consider the budgetary outlay, line by line. The budget was presented on December 29th. To me, I saw a person who was fastidious in the obeisance of the provisions of the constitution.
As it were, the convention of the legislature, when we wanted to consider the subjects of the budget, was to embark on oversight to see how well the previous allocations had been expended. Dr Bukola directed that all the members of the executive who were invited must honour the summon of the House. Infact, he reportedly made a special mention of this at the meeting of the State Executive Council.
Furthermore, he told them that if they had a memorandum to present and it fell within their date of summons at the House, they should come to the floor of the legislature. And that the Secretary to the State Government should defer such presentations till another session. To me, that is a person who respected the constitutional tenets of separation of powers as enshrined in the constitution.
When the fuel crisis reared its ugly head, and the legislature under the indefatigable Hon. Prince Razaq Olawale Taiwo and later Hon. Ramat Abaya as Chairmen of the House Committee on Commerce, swung into action. They bore their fangs to nip it in the bud, by monitoring and supervision. Beginning from Mosimi NNPC Main Depot, to the Oke-Oyi Depot, and the filling stations all across the state, Governor Bukola gave the legislature the desired support to do our constitutional duties in line with sections 128 and especially 129 to conduct investigation and get solutions to any issue within the jurisdiction of the state. Throughout, the fuel issue was critically resided within the purview of the legislature. It was dine with clinical efficiency. And Governor Bukola respected it, because it gave succour to the citizens. To me, I saw a person that built bridges and engendered coordination and cooperation in governance.
At Otan Ayegbaju, the roof of the Secondary School was blown off, and it was noted by the House. It was the same with several water works projects across the co constituencies. Although some we’re not captured initially, but premised upon the observations of the legislature, it was accomplished in the overall interest of the people. As a personal philosophy, the Governor told the members of the executive to carry the legislators along at all times, and all issues. To me, I saw a leader who wanted the electorates to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
The President of the Senate that Nigerians came to see in Dr Bukola Saraki in the eighth National Assembly was one that had been thoroughly baked in the powers and jurisdiction of the legislature, which is the first arm of government. According to Prof. J. Shola Omotola, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Federal Unjversity, Iye-Ekiti, in his classic academic work on the legislature in our country “Nigerians will come to appreciate the fantastic accomplishment of Dr Bukola Saraki more and more in the fullness of time. He put the legislature in its proper perspective the first arm of government”.
As he clocks three scores today, I congratulate Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, our Waziri of Ilorin Emirate on this milestone.