The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has become a customer to controversy in the nation’s political circle.

Saraki has been under the public’s radar and intense scrutiny since his notorious emergence as Senate President, while his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, has further thrust him into the spotlight.

For the record, Saraki didn’t start causing ripples in Nigeria’s political sphere in 2015.

His antecedents and battles can be traced way back to when he started out- as the governor of Kwara state.

Here are 5 battles Saraki has fought over the years:

1. Bukola Saraki VS Olusola Saraki

The Senate President’s quarrel with his father- respected politician and former senate leader, Olusola Saraki- started after he had served as a two-term governor of Kwara, with the help, influence and political machinery of his father.

Prelude to the 2011 elections, Bukola worked against his father (a move which forced him out of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party) in a bid to install his candidate, Abdulfatai Ahmed, as his successor.

At that time, many political analysts were of the opinion that Bukola Saraki installed Ahmed- his Commissioner of Finance- as his replacement to help cover up his tracks.

 

2. Bukola Saraki VS Gbemisola Saraki

In 2011, his sister, Gbemisola Saraki was tipped to succeed him as the governor of the state, but Bukola had other plans. Instead of supporting his sibling, he chose to facilitate the emergence of incumbent governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Gbemi would eventually leave PDP to join the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria and she contested under the party, but Saraki gave his support to Ahmed.

In 2012 after the death of their father, Bukola and Gbemisola were said to be at loggerheads over the estate of their late father, Olusola Saraki. Gbemi allegedly took over the estate and turned it into a campaign office.

Bukola was alleged to have mobilized men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and vigilante groups to the property in an attempt to seal it off but the group met a stiff resistance from those already in the house. The allegation was later denied by both siblings.

 

3.  Bukola Saraki VS Bola Tinubu

Saraki’s rift with APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, started when he pulled a fast one on the All Progressives Congress, by going against the party’s directive for Ahmed Lawan to emerge as Senate president and George Akume as deputy senate president.

Saraki, with daredevilry effrontery and the support and backing of PDP, pursued his ambition and emerged as the senate president and Ike Ekweremadu as deputy senate president.

After he emerged as Senate President, Tinubu said he won’t accept Saraki as Senate President until he issued a public apology to the party, among other rumoured conditions.

 

 

4. Saraki VS APC

After emerging as Senate President in an acrimonious and controversial manner, the APC sent a letter to him; listing those who should be appointed in principal positions in the Senate.

But again, Saraki went against the directive of his party’s leadership. He later wrote a letter to the party to explain why he couldn’t concede their request, stating that his hands were tied.

Failing to clarify why his hands were tied, Saraki went ahead to name principal officers of the Senate, contrary to his party’s wishes.

 

5. Bukola Saraki VS CCT/unknown persons

At present, Bukola Saraki is fighting the battle of his life, as he stands trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, after being charged on a 13-count charge of false assets declaration by the Code of Conduct Bureau.

During arraignment at the CCT, Saraki twice disobeyed the court’s order for him to appear at the tribunal, before eventually showing up with over 40 Senators in tow.

Although Saraki is being tried over the assets he declared back when he was governor of Kwara state- many pundits believe that his trial is a politically motivated and some have gone ahead to stick out their necks by asserting that he’s being punished for forcefully becoming Senate President.