There is no doubt that Senate President Bukola Saraki is a rich political player. He further demonstrated his richness by playing a paymasters role in a recent case. With the 2019 general election approaching, the public should expect to see more of the things rich politicians do with their riches because they want power or because they want to remain in powerful positions.When Saraki reportedly paid 20 months unpaid salaries of 220 traditional rulers in his constituency, Kwara Central senatorial district, he showed that he had no qualms about using what he had to get what he wanted. The chiefs were mainly district heads from Ilorin East, Ilorin South and Asa Local Government Areas. A report said: The affected local government councils could not meet their financial obligations to the traditional rulers because of the drastic shortfall in their allocation from the federation account.Then Saraki provided N49.4m, which the affected traditional rulers received at a ceremony at the ABS Constituency Office in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on April 16. The Director- General, ABS Constituency Office, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, said Saraki had set up a committee to resolve the non-payment of the salaries, and had acted on the committees recommendation 'to pay the unpaid salaries.Abdullahi was said to have advised the district heads to continue to support the senate president to enable him attract more dividends of democracy to the state. This is the meat of the matter. Saraki wants to be seen as a good politician who wants to serve his constituents and make them happy. Of course, in return for what he does to make them happy, he expects them to continue to support him. Sarakis gesture was not simple generosity. It was a move, a political manoeuvre. It was designed to achieve a design.Obviously, there are questions Saraki needs to answer: Where did the money come from' Was it money from his pockets' The answers to these important questions cannot be left to speculation. Sarakis answers will lead to further questions, no doubt. This is because a question may be answered and an answer may be questioned. In the end, there may be more questions than answers.Now that Saraki has become a paymaster of sorts, it is a sign that he may take on other opportunistic roles towards realising his political ambition in 2019. For politicians looking for ways to manipulate their constituents, Sarakis latest game is something to consider and perhaps emulate. It all adds to the pre-election entertainment.But Sarakis entertainment is not entertaining. It is a grave matter when a rich politician takes over the responsibility of local government councils. The point is that a politician is a politician and a local government council is a local government council. How long will Saraki pay the traditional rulers on behalf of the local government councils'It is noteworthy that two years ago, Sarakis riches were a subject of public interest as he faced trial for alleged false assets declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Abjua. Sarakis lawyer at the time, Paul Erokoro (SAN), had reportedly described him as extremely rich, and had argued that Saraki didnt need to become Kwara State governor in 2003 to make mega money. He was already rolling in money by the time he became a governor, his lawyer had stressed.It is thought-provoking that Erokoro, based on the asset declaration form Saraki submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in 2003, reportedly said he needed to point out that his client was very rich before he became Kwara State governor to erase the wrong impression created by the prosecution that, he could not have acquired the property he claimed to have, without obtaining loans from banks.The lawyer reportedly said that Saraki had $22 million US dollars, about 12 million pounds, 2.6m Euro and about N4 billion in cash in his various accounts. Apart from the liquid asset, it was stated: Saraki said he also possessed landed property estimated at N2 billion and 15 vehicles valued at about N263.4m.The report continued: He gave details of the vehicles he acquired as at 2003 to include: Mercedes X320, valued at N16m; Mercedes X500 worth N20m; Mercedes G500, valued at N6m; Mercedes V220 worth 2m and Ferrari456GT, valued at N25m.Others are: Navigator, N15m; MN240 worth N8.5m; Peugeot 406, valued at N2.9m; Mercedes CLK 320 worth N9m; Mercedes E320 valued at N11m; Mercedes G500 bullet proof, worth N45m; Mercedes X500; Lexus jeep bullet proof, valued at N30m and Lincoln Navigator bullet proof worth N25m.The report added: The lawyer was however silent on the source of his clients wealth and how he came about all the property and cash he claimed to have possessed before he became governor in 2003.Silence will not answer loud questions. Sarakis N49.4m payment to traditional rulers has made the question louder: How did Saraki become so rich'According to a biographical source, Saraki, 55, attended Kings College, Lagos from 1973 to 1978, and Cheltenham College, Cheltenham, London, from 1979 to 1981 for his Higher School Certificate. He then studied at the London Hospital Medical College of the University of London, from 1982 to 1987, where he obtained his M.B.B.S (London). He worked as a medical officer at Rush Green Hospital, Essex, from 1988 to 1989. He was a director of Societe Generale Bank (Nig) Ltd from 1990 to 2000.Further information: In 2000, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Saraki as Special Assistant to the President on BudgetIn 2003, he ran for the office of governor of Kwara State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and won He ran again for re-election in 2007 and won. He was first elected to the Senate in April 2011, representing the Kwara Central senatorial district, and re-elected in the March 2015 elections After his re-election in the 2015, Saraki was on June 9, 2015 elected unopposed as President of the Senate by an alliance across party lines involving PDP and APC Senators.The question is: At what point did Saraki make the kind of money that made him rich enough to pay unpaid N49.4m salaries to traditional rulers in his constituency'The post A game of money appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.
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