The immediate past President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki will be 60 tommorow Monday 19th December,2022. As well wishers and supporters of the former Kwara state governor, we are joining his lovely family to appreciate God Almighty for the grace of leadership bestowed on him to have served Kwara State and Nigeria meritoriously in the capacities he did.
Born in 1962 to the legendary political family of the late Abubakar Saraki, the second republic Senate leader, Bukola attended the Kings College, Lagos, and Chelttenham College, London and later trained as a medical doctor at the London Hospital Medical College, London, where he obtained the M.B.B.S degree in 1987.
In the year 2000 he was appointed Special Assistant on Budget Matters by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo where he initiated the Fiscal Responsibility Bill and served on the Economic Policy Coordination Committee, and together with others, responsible for the formulation and implementation of several key economic policies for Nigeria.He was elected Governor of Kwara State in 2003, and served for two terms of eight years, transforming the state in many areas such as agriculture, aviation, infrastructure, education, health,etc. He was also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s forum,NGF.
Seing his capacity for unity, the national leadership of the PDP appointed him the Chairman of National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee (NRSC) to resolve intraparty conflicts among stakeholders across the states. This he did soundly by traversing the entire country to unite members of the leading opposition party and refocus the party. His efforts achieved a lot as many states who were enmeshed in crisis came out stronger and more united.
When he came out to contest the 2023 primary elections, many of us who worked with him as legislators of the 8th national assembly rallied round him because of the leadership qualities he manifested as Senate President. Together with Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara as Speaker,they set and recorded a very high standard for effective legislative administration management in the history of the country.
Credit: Leadership