If you ask Abubakar Bukola Saraki for the birthday gift he desires today, he will probably request unity within his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as his best wish for the moment. The PDP is facing yet another crisis after losing power 10 years ago. And as his 63rd birthday approached, Mr Saraki refused to endorse any form of celebration.
Rather, his pre-occupation for now is how to work with some party leaders, stakeholders, elders, and members to initiate discussions on how to unite the various feuding groups within the PDP. To many, this is a far-fetched option. It would have been easier to just move over with his supporters to the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) as it is the fad in the country’s political arena today.
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However, the former Senate President has vowed not to be part of any agenda that will create a one-party state in Nigeria. He would not be part of a plan to foreclose options to the electorate as democracy itself is about free choices, made under a credible, peaceful, and competitive atmosphere.
There are also others who believe the much-talked-about coalition can do so much and so well with his strategic thinking and planning aptitude. He has also said he would not be part of an arrangement cobbled together out of anger and for personal designs.
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He would also not consider moving into a small party just for the sake of contesting elections in 2027. To him, all such designs are short-term plans and only aimed at power or state capture. They do not represent a desire to create an enduring solution. They cannot produce a platform that can strengthen democracy or enrich the political process for the purpose of serving the country and its people.
To him, the PDP remains the best platform that can effectively challenge the ruling party and offer a credible option to the people. He believes the PDP has a rich history, pervasive reach, enduring structure, tested brand, and solid bases that if supported by committed people, determined leaders, and the right resources, can win elections, without much problem.
Mr Saraki is a die-hard PDP man. He believes defecting to another hurriedly put-together party led by elements with disparate backgrounds will not solve the problem of Nigeria. Just like the APC, after ten years in power, is unable to do. PDP, he said, has all the potential and institutional processes for building an enduring platform that will provide good governance, strengthen democracy, and enrich the political process.
He is also determined to take the difficult route, strewn with thorns and hard rubbles. The easy way, he said, never leads to a lasting solution. The benefits are never enduring. They are never a good option for a country with an expected long lifespan.
It is not surprising that more and more leaders in the PDP are listening to him and working with him. It seems that one of the values and virtues that any Nigerian cannot take away from Mr Saraki is his ability to reconcile feuding elements, unite a divided group, and stabilise a ship amidst a storm. Thrice, the PDP had turned to him to steady the ship when it hit the stormy water or when it was heading for the rock.
On each occasion, he was able to work with others in achieving stability and steadying the wobbling craft. You may wonder why the ship relapsed into difficult terrain after Mr Saraki’s past efforts. This is because the storm in Nigerian politics when a party loses power in a dramatic way the PDP did is always ceaseless. After all, the scheme by the incumbent party and the inability of the former office holders to cope with the loss of power will forever ensure the former ruling party remains in disarray. That is the dynamic of politics in a third world.
Mr Saraki by nature is a man built for difficult tasks. He never liked the easy way. Perhaps, that is why a medical doctor who is the son of another medical doctor and had a hospital he could just inherit and work to expand decided to pursue his interest in business. It is also the reason why as governor despite the assurances of the support of an enduring and strong political structure, he worked 25 hours a day to ensure the success of his administration.
He said he wanted to be a good model for other politicians with a privileged background that coming from a rich home does not make one a poor performer and that a poor background does not make one a good administrator. He wanted to reassure the people that even though he was never hungry out of want or lack of food, he perfectly understands the needs of the people and what role the government should play to improve their standard of living.
He also decided to seek the Senate Presidency because for four years as a Senator, he observed that the leadership of the institution needed to initiate deliberate actions and programmes that would correct the wrong perception that its members do nothing and are a burden on the cost of governance. Today, many still reminisce about how the Eighth Senate he led made so many positive differences. And that is in spite of deliberate efforts by the executive arm to frustrate the legislature and unsettle its steady progress.
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Perhaps, his predilection for always working towards reconciliation and unity also emanated from his background. A man with a father from Kwara State in the North Central zone or an area originally known as the middle belt of Nigeria, his home state creates a buffer between the North and the South. His late mother was from the Southwestern Ondo State. His paternal grandmother was from the Southwestern Oyo State.
His father was a Muslim and his mother was a Christian. While he is a staunch Muslim, his wife is a devout Christian. Thus, he had the temperament to understand and deal calmly, fairly, and impartially with all the issues that constitute the fault lines in the country. He has also proved to be a man capable of dealing boldly and maturely with challenges and setbacks.
For him, six years out of power has only strengthened him intellectually and positioned him in a vantage position to view issues as an impartial observer. It has also made him appreciate why those who are blessed by God should spend more of their resources to help the less privileged and invest more in developing the communities. He spends more time now on his relationship with Almighty Allah (SWT), community development, family, and business.
At 63 today, Mr Saraki, a man reputed for always seeking to solve difficult problems as he did with the Offa – Erinle crisis, the Petroleum Industry Act, and many other issues while always leaving a place better than he met it, continues to retain his relevance, years after office. Happy birthday, sir.
Yusuph Olaniyonu writes from Abuja.
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