Senate Presidency: How Tinubu’s snub made Emir seek divine intervention

*APC National Leader, Lawan also lobbied PDP’s Senators-elect, Mark – Ex-Senate President’s Aide More facts emerged last night over scheming, power play and intrigues that eventually culminated into Dr Bukola Saraki’s dramatic emergence as Senate President of the 8th National Assembly. National Pilot reliably gathered that emissaries sent by Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari to intercede on Saraki’s behalf were turned down by the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It was, however, learnt that Tinubu’s snub made the Monarch seek divine intervention towards Saraki’s bid, a move, which obviously paid off with Saraki’s dramatic victory. Also, religious leaders and political groups virtually in all 16 local government areas in the state went spiritual over Saraki’s ambition with the belief that his battle could be better handled by God. Tinubu allegedly turned a deaf ear to the message brought by two Emir's emissaries variously led by Former Grand Kadi of Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Idris Haroon and the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir. Reliable sources told our reporter yesterday that the former Lagos Governor told the emissary who meant him in Lagos that the matter at hand was political and not community affairs. “We were made to understand that Tinubu turned down emissaries sent by the Emir of Ilorin to him. He told them that the issue of Senate President is political and not community affairs,” the source who was in the know, told this medium on Sunday. The Emir was also reportedly spoke to Oba of Lagos, Oba Ridwan Okiolu, for his intervention to allow Tinubu soft-pedal on his anti-Saraki’s posture, but all to no avail. Saraki also alluded that he emerged by a dint of providence while speaking with his supporters at the weekend during his first visit to Ilorin. Admitting that there were lobbies and intrigues over his ambition, he confirmed that “Almighty Allah did it all,” adding that prayers of his people really manifested. The former Special Adviser to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Political Matters, Alhaji Bibire Ajape, also lend credence to this while speaking at the Great Hall, Illofa's Saraki's Residence in Ilorin, confirming that the first class monarch sent emissaries, but Tinubu “played God” despite all intervention and requests for his support. The former political adviser, who is stark Sarakite, attributed his boss’s emergence to as dint of providence, adding that “Tinubu was defeated despite his acclaimed superior political machinery.” Tinubu, a National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was Saraki’s arch-opponent on the Senate President’s bid when he threw his political machinery behind Senator Ahmed Lawan, who represents Yobe Central) at the Senate. The former Lagos State governor had equally prevailed on Senator George Akume (Benue, APC), to ditch his Senate President’s ambition and back Lawan. As part of Tinubu’s political calculation, Akume was offered Deputy Senate President slot having backed down to support Lawan. Tinubu was also alleged to have given Chief John Oyegun-led APC National Working Committee (NWC) the sum of N2bn, which led to purported election of Lawan as sole candidate for Senate President in the election held on June 9. Against all odds, Saraki, however, emerged Senate President at the floor of the Senate unopposed, while Lawan-led APC Senators were at International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja where a meeting was allegedly fixed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Also, contrary to the allegation that Saraki sold APC to the opposition party- the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Senate President, Senator David Mark’s Media Aide, Kola Ologbondiyan, has revealed that Tinubu and Lawan-led APC Senators also lobbied for PDP and Mark’s support towards emergence of their candidate. Ologbondiyan in a piece entitled: “Saraki/Lawan: Before the crucification of Mark,” which summarised the Senate President’s horse- trading, said Mark should not be crucified “for failings of the APC apparatchiks.” Rather, he said, Mark should be commended for rejecting the ploy to drag him into Senate President contest when it was obvious that majority of APC Senators-elect were not on the floor for election. “It is also imperative to state that both Saraki and Lawan as well as their respective promoters expectedly sought the support of the PDP- Senators-elect and also importantly the support of Senator Mark,” the Media Aide, said. Ologbondiyan added: “Senator Mark cannot be crucified for failing of the APC apparatchiks. His action in the horse-trading and election of the Presiding Officer for the Senate last June 9 was honest, noble and sincere. Above all, Mark deserves to be commended for his states-man rejection of a ploy to drag him to contest for the Senate President when it became obvious that majority of the APC Senators-elect had absented themselves from the floor.”