What’s up with Bukola Saraki?

If you listen to all the recent noise in the media about
the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, all you
will ever hear is the commotion of a sensationalized
marketplace. However, if you choose to distill through
the racket of the crowd, and pay careful attention, you
will see for yourself, understand by yourself, and testify
to both yourself and anyone that will listen that the man,
Bukola Saraki, is one of Nigeria’s most competent public
office holders.
Like a juggler in the circus, Saraki has singlehandedly
outperformed his predecessors in the Senate, by
steering the upper legislative chamber to record several
historic achievements, while battling with powerful
sections of an unfriendly sponsored press; and going
through a politically-motivated case at the Code of
Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
I have heard this many times in both closed rooms and
open forums, “A lesser man would have caved under all
the pressure.” Yet, despite the constant barrage from all
sides, Saraki has remained determined to his primary
duty of legislating for the good of the common man.
Senate President Bukola Saraki
In September 2016, on the heels of the announcement
of Nigeria’s first economic recession, Saraki, as a first
amongst equals, led the Senate’s charge to come up
with 20-points that would help to get Nigeria out of the
recession. In addition to this, the Senate came up with
11 priority bills that would help create over 7 million jobs
across the country, and reduce poverty by double digits.
Immediately these Bills were announced and the
recommendations were forwarded to President
Muhammadu Buhari, the Senate went to work —
debating and negotiating – their way towards the
passage of the PIB and the other economic priority Bills.
After the laying of the Joint Committee Report of the
PIB on the Senate Floor on Thursday, April 6th, 2017, the
Bill which seeks to enhance Nigeria’s petroleum industry
is at its farthest stage in 17 years, while the other
economic priority bills, are all either at Conference
Committee stage or Final Reading stage.
Yet, some elements in the media will tell you that the
Senate is not working, or that Bukola Saraki is not doing
anything for the country…