Saraki’s sister affirms support for Buhari

Moments after senate president Bukola Saraki left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) his sister, Gbemisola has assured president Muhammadu Buhari of her support in next year’s general elections.

Their rivalry can be traced back to 2011, when Gbemisola, who had been a member of the House of Representatives (from 1999 to 2003 under the defunct All Peoples Party) and two-term senator (from 2003 to 2011 under the PDP), wanted to succeed her brother, who was then outgoing governor of their native Kwara State.

She got the backing of their late father, Olusola Saraki, but her brother (Bukola) kicked against the idea arguing that it was not morally correct for the position to be rotated between siblings. He then backed the incumbent governor of the state, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

“I maintain my unwavering support for President Muhammadu Buhari, now and for his re-election in 2019, and for the success of our party, the APC, in Kwara State and across the federation,” Gbemisola said in a facebook post.

“All members of my political organisations including GRS Movement (GRSM); GRS Foundation (GRSF); GRS Friends on Facebook (GRSFOF), Paramount Women Forum (PWF) and GRS Grassroots Youth Movements (GRS-GYM) will begin to implement the first phase of our “Get-Out-The-Vote” for PMB and APC.

“Politics is a public service to the people and we ought to conduct it with dignity, peace and love for our fellow citizens.” she said.

However, senate president Saraki, who left the PDP in 2014 for the APC, said his former party has learnt more from its defeat in the 2015 election than the ruling party has learnt from its victory.

“The PDP that we return to is now a party that has learnt its lessons the hard way and have realised that no member of the party should be taken for granted; a party that has realized that inclusion, justice and equity are basic precondition for peace; a party that has realized that never again can the people of Nigeria be taken for granted.” Saraki said.