OPINION

Senator Bukola Saraki, in a letter he wrote to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), revealed that his hands were tied as it relates to acceding to the party’s request for leadership positions in the Senate. From a personified perspective, it is only logical to inquire for who tied his hands. Would it not be appropriate to believe that Senator Bukola Saraki does not really understand the import of the dilemma he has let himself in? Did he subliminally enter into an alliance with the opposition or purposely thought it wise so as to quench his zest for political influence?

The unfolding scenario is becoming more like this writer predicted weeks ago when he drew a metaphorical parallel between Afonja and Saraki. The former was a warlord whose allegiance was to the old Oyo Kingdom. In a bid to gain his autonomy from the dictates of the Oyo dynasty, he entered into an alliance with the Fulanis who were then migrants in Ilorin. The alliance helped Afonja in quelling the hegemony of the Oyo kingdom albeit with his hands being figuratively tied in the long run.

Inasmuch as Saraki wants everyone to believe that his loyalty to the APC is still unalloyed, it has become more than evident in the ensuing precedents that the PDP remains in control of the two chambers even in the face of the numerical advantage possessed by the APC. At the Green chamber, Yakubu Dogara seems to seek solace in the company of a more errant comrade at the Red Chamber, who has put paid to the party’s supremacy. Thus, it should not come as a surprise that Dogara has suddenly developed the effrontery to disregard the principal officers of his party. The credit of his rare jauntiness is owing to no other than the exploits of a more daring NASS comrade.

Contained in his letter, Saraki explained that the letter on who to nominate came after the zonal caucuses had chosen their candidates in line with parliamentary conventions. As tenable as it sounds, his hesitance in calming frayed nerves within his party reeks of a well premeditated sabotage.

While some would argue that Saraki merely borrowed a leaf from Tambuwal, who emerged the Speaker of the lower chamber at the behest of his party’s wish, it is critical to note that Tambuwal did everything humanly possible to appease henchmen in his party after he emerged as the Speaker. He chose Honourable Mulikat Adeola as the Majority Leader and also heeded to their bidding for other positions. Saraki, however, is unwilling to rock the boat that helped him in upstaging the anointed candidate of his party to the exalted seat. This, therefore, brings forth the one-million-dollar question: “Who really tied the hands of Saraki?”

Once beaten, twice shy. But in this case, the APC risks being beaten twice by the virtue of it being carelessly plunged into an unholy alliance with her adversary. At this juncture, Saraki might appeal to the party no better than a cancerous disease. Getting rid of such abnormal cell growth is, however, tantamount to amputating a part of the body. Would it then be rational for the APC to spare the rod and spoil the child, or rather throw out the baby with the bath water?

The two facets, therefore, channel into two imperatives. Firstly, any attempt to impose sanctions on the two NASS leaders is likely to have grave consequences on the ruling party, which is yet to find its rhythm at the centre. That is on the one hand; on the other hand, tolerating their nuances would be suggestive of affording the PDP more space to launch a grander penetration. In the event of such, it is either they defect to the major opposition party and elicit a bandwagon defection like it happened under President Jonathan or remain in the APC and constitute a Catch 22 in the passage of bills; thus making them agitators within their own party.

Whichever route the party decides to take would come with its implications and shortcomings. Be that as it may, Senator Saraki will go down in history as one of the most pertinacious political mafiosos that ever played the game in the country’s political terrain. So let me end this piece by asking for the umpteenth time: Who tied the hands of Saraki?