GBEMISOLA SARAKI,The Lion Queen is Back

Not many people will remember that not too long ago this lioness was part of the senators that stood up against former president Obasanjo in his bid for a 3rd term in office in 2007 having cross over from the then  All People's Party (APP), under whose  umbrella she ran and won the House of Representatives in 1999 . it is also a well known fact that this mother Lion has to her credit the tag of being  the female legislator with the highest number of sponsored bills in Nigeria. as a legislator to date.

  
Those who know say, the ministerial nomination/appointment of Gbemisola Ruqqayah Saraki is the last straw of the O TO GE war to break the back of the political camel (structure cum dynasty) of former Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki ,if you add the fact that She is widely known for her intelligence, philanthropy, and love for education. It is on record that besides her father, late  Dr. Olusola Saraki, no politician from the north-central zone has given out as many scholarships as Gbemi Saraki. Gbemi Saraki is Kwara's biggest grassroots mobilizer.

Both are siblings but they have been at prolonged "war" and have been at daggers drawn given their different political ideologies. This has ensured that they are always in different political parties. The movement one determines where the other heads to. It is that serious.
Today, Gbemisola is a minister under President Muhammadu Buhari. Critics say she may choose to cash on this opportunity to settle old scores with her brother. She is the second of the two ministerial nominees from Kwara which speaks volume of the interests of the governing party on the state . The other is Alhaji Lai Mohammed the mouthpiece of this administration in the last three and half years.

Pundits opine that Gbemisola's appointment is to checkmate her brother's likely political revival from within their influential family just as the trio of Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, Lai Mohammed and Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe who defeated Bukola Saraki in Kwara Central senatorial election will tidy up the battle from within and around the state. The quartet will spearhead the battle to control the state (after grabbing it from Bukola Saraki) as they team up with the two other Senators, House of Reps members in the state and House of Assembly members to finally bury the remains of Bukola Saraki's political dynasty.

Someone once said, "In politics, water is thicker than blood because there are only permanent interests,no permanent friends". Perhaps this position is buttressed by Bukola Saraki's stronghold while his reign lasted because, Gbemisola was also relegated to the background then. May be, it is payback time. But if we go by this position it means Gbemisola is just on an assignment to stop her brother. But those closer to her disagree. They say she also nurses the ambition to be Kwara's first female governor which will help her achieve her long time ambition/dream which is to change the wrong political narrative and impression held about and against her family from the era of her father to her brother.
But Gbemisola's ambition if true could face a huge challenge from Lai Mohammed who sources say also secretly nurses the ambition of becoming Kwara governor someday.

Whether, Gbemisola is on her personal mission which she has successfully navigated out of the murky waters of the prolonged reign of her brother or she is just on a sponsored assignment through her appointment to checkmate her brother's political resurgence at any time, we wait to see...
Meanwhile, I say a big CONGRATULATIONS to you on your nomination first and appointment. Give it up for Gbemisola Ruqayyah Saraki.

The Lion queen of both the Saraki family and kwara politics.  She is a dogged political fighter who pursues her dream, ambition and ideologies. Best wishes Ma!

Steve Aya,is a Nigerian Journalist base in Lagos,editor of New Name Magazine and the online paper, niajaeagle.blogspot.com. contact at stephenaya9@gmail.com 08023901229