OPINION: THE MANY 'SINS' OF BUKOLA SARAKI

There's truth to the saying that old sins cast longer shadows. And as humans, revenge is the ultimate antidote that can be employed to make one feel spite against our transgressors. To stand up shoulder high to the presidency is no mean feat and Bukola Saraki would have been in the best position to lecture us on the challenges that comes with being a whistleblower. The weapon of revenge is being deployed visibly on a daily basis with an uncommon desperation to clamp down on anyone with the audacity to challenge the present administration and its self inflicted status quo. For the Jonathanians, Senator Bukola Saraki is a 'sinner' who would not go scot free until he repents to do their biddings. As it stands, the momentum is fast building again and there are indications to believe that Saraki's 'old sins' are somewhat worse, than his 'new sin'. Saraki's travails may have started in 2011 when he voted in support of the botched PDP zoning formula then as the governor of Kwara and chairman board of Governor's forum and his subsequent declaration to run for the presidency in the 2011general election. A consensus was eventually reached; the gladiators involved sheath their swords to ensure that Goodluck Jonathan emerged victorious. In 2012, Senator Bukola Saraki was in the news again, this time; the subject of discourse was one that will affect the future of the unborn generation. Saraki had uncovered the biggest fraud in the history of the downstream sector. Jonathan's administration had spent a wooping 1. 2trillion on subsidy without any traces of development. This in-depth investigation of the oil subsidy scheme went down as one of the biggest oversight function of the legislative arm for that budget year. Saraki soon became a target of the oil cabal with the emergency interest and resurrection of his activities as governor of Kwara State. Undoubtedly, Saraki's overtly opinionated view is responsible for series of events that has left him as one of the frequent visitor's to the anti-graft agencies annex. The allegations against him and the quasi drama that follows remind one of a 'season film' that may never end as a result of the different intrigues that unfolds from the last episodes. Having scaled through the rigorous drilling and questioning for the umpteenth time at the police invitation without a clear verdict, one would expect the former governor and now Senator to go quiet and avoid issues that may pitch him against his adversaries, rather; he has continued to remain vocal using his voice as a weapon to correct the ills on national issues. Just recently, Bukola Saraki spotted some loopholes in the 2014 Budget where he raised alarm on the 700m daily budgeted for Kerosene subsidy which he described as unsustainable. Saraki's interview on ChannelsTv Sunrise programme of February 6, 2014 (http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=LGnhnnxU1FU [1]) also gives a clear insight into the genesis of his perceived fissure with the GEJ led administration. The defection of Bukola Saraki and the current governor of Kwara State Ahmed Abdul-fatahi alongside the national assembly and the entire party structure to the opposition party is another source of growing headache to the Jonathan's camp and the reaction afterwards was long overdue. The substitution of the PDP Local government's nomination list conducted by the state's chapter of the party with relatively unknown aspirants from Abuja would eventually turn to be a disastrous decision that could prove costly for the ruling PDP with the total takeover of the party by the Saraki led APC. Again, Saraki was at the front burner to condemn the presidency for sacking the erstwhile CBN governor in an unceremonious manner. His views corroborate those of the majority who encouraged Sanusi to challenge his unconstitutional removal from the court despite his insistence not to return to office regardless of the outcome. As if that was not enough a denegation, in an old fashioned style the minister of sport despite his glowing achievements was booted out of office as a result of his perceived allegiance to Bukola Saraki. Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi was the sacrificial lamp used to settles scores and even out permutations in Kwara ahead of the Jonathans 2015 ambition. In a swift reaction, the Chairman Senate Committee on the Environment Abubakar Bukola Saraki in a statement to the press said ''It is shameful that Bolaji Abdullahi was relieved of his duty as minister mainly because of politics and certainly not for non-performance. It is disappointing that in the interest of politics we have compromised, and invariably denied our nation the progress it deserves''. Other issues such as the increasing level of government's excessive spending, the incessant attacks on the lives of innocent citizen and the lack of regard for the rule of law are but a few of his sins - for exercising his fundamental human right. From Bukola Saraki's response to these allegations of outspokenness, it is clear he enjoys every bit of it. While there are no precursors that the Senator representing Kwara Central will surrender his objective stand for a slice in the largesse, it also goes without saying that the powers that be will continue the hound game perhaps until the 2015 elections are settled.