Ahead of the Presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) coming up in Port-Harcourt the capital of Rivers State this Saturday, the aspiration of the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki is rated to be far above those of the 12 other contestants in the race.
The rating of Saraki’s chances in the race above others as explained in a book titled: ” Saraki...man wey sabi the way”, hinge on his hybridity as a person with biological links to the two divides of the country i.e, the North and South and remarkable performance(s) in public office in different capacities within the last 18 years.
Saraki as posited in the book planned to be rolled out into the public domain Friday this week, is more strategically placed than any of the other 12 aspirants to dislodge the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari from office if he emerges as the Presidential Candidate of PDP.
His inherent capacities to that effect as demonstrated with results-driven performances made in public office from year 2000 when he served as Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Budget planning which brought about the facilitation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act to the present moment of leading a Senate and by extension, National Assembly that is not an appendage of the Presidency in anyway as it was with the previous ones in the current democratic dispensation, were argued to be some of his sellable advantages above other contestants.
Purported remarks made by a downtrodden Nigerian from South-South (Monday Akpan), on Saraki as the ‘man wey sabi the way’ meaning, the man who knows the right path for Nigerians to follow in 2019, were captured in the book among other expressions of support made by Nigerians for Saraki’s presidential aspiration.
The Author of the six – chapter and 7,000 words book , Oluwarotimi Odewale posited: ” Analytically, hybridity of Bukola Saraki as a Nigerian that can be said to belong to both sides of the North and South divides within the context of the entity called Nigeria, derives from the fact that though born of a Fulani Father, the late Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki, Ibn {son} of Muktar Saraki, but his mother {Mrs. Florence Morenike Saraki }, is a full blooded Yoruba woman from Ibidapo family in Owo town, Ondo State.
“On paternal line, the Yoruba blood flowing in the veins of Bukola Saraki biologically came from his grandmother { Humuani Ayoka of blessed memory } from Iseyin in Oyo State aside the marital Yoruba blood also flowing in his veins, from his dearly beloved wife, Barrister Toyin Saraki of the famous Ojora family in Lagos.
“Tactically, if the PDP Presidential Ticket is eventually won by Saraki, warming himself into the heart of the Yoruba electorates can be easily done by first staging strategic rallies in Iseyin and Owo towns for required bold political statements on biological links with the towns and by extension, South West as a geo-political zone, after which being a Fulani man from Ilorin Emirate, another strategic rally should be staged in Gwandu town in Kebbi State, the origin of the Ilorin Emirate {founded by Sheikh Alimi), for the required bold statement on the solid Northern Connection as well; and thereafter, take campaigns strictly on issues, to the various zones and states in the country.
”In a nutshell, hybridity of Saraki’s personage, biologically connecting him to the Fulanis in the North and the Yorubas in South West, coupled with solid structure of his party {PDP} in the South East and South-South geo-political zones and coming from the North Central {Kwara), no doubt, gives him strategic advantage in the race than any other contestants.
“Needless to add that his vantage position as President of the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with attendant contacts and links to the 109 Senatorial constituencies across the country and his deep pocketedness cum development –driven disposition to digital ideas and ways of doing things, make him a solid and highly sellable Presidential material”.
Saraki will however be facing other strong contenders in the race, like the former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the incumbent Governors of Sokoto and Gombe States, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Ibrahim Dankwambo respectively.
Others are, former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, his Kaduna State counterpart, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Jigawa state counterpart, Alhaji Sule Lamido and former Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa.
Also in the race are no push overs like the former Senate President, Senator David Mark, former Minister for Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Jonah David Jang and Dr Datti Baba Ahmed from Kaduna State.
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