Abubakar Olusola Saraki

Abubakar Olusola Saraki
National Senator
In office 1979–1983
Personal details
Born	17 May 1933 Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Political party	National Party of Nigeria (NPN)
Profession	Doctor, Politician

Abubakar Olusola Saraki is a Nigerian politician and tribal nobleman who was a Senator of the Nigerian Second Republic (1979-1983).^[1] He currently serves as the Waziri of the Ilorin Emirate.

Background

Sola Saraki was born on the 17th of May, 1933 at Ilorin, Kwara State.^[1] His mother was from Iseyin in Oyo State and his father was from Ilorin. His paternal ancestors were Fulanis who came from Mali about 150 to 200 years earlier.^[2] He was educated at Eko Boys High School. He attended the University of London, and St George’s Hospital Medical School, London. He worked as a medical officer at the General Hospital, Lagos and the Creek Hospital, Lagos.^[1]

He first entered politics when he ran in the 1964 parliamentary election for Ilorin as an independent, but failed to win.^[3] After the election, he returned to his medical practice in Lagos, only returning to party-politics in 1978/79.^[2]

Senate career

In 1977, Olusola Saraki was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly that produced the 1979 constitution. In 1979 he was elected a Senator of the Second Republic, and became Senate Leader. In 1983 Saraki was re-elected into the Senate on the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) platform.^[1]

Subsequent career

Kwara State in Nigeria

In 1998, Olusola Saraki became a National Leader and member of the Board of Trustees of the All People's Party (APP), contributing to the APP success in Kwara and Kogi States. He assisted Mohammed Alabi Lawal in becoming Governor of Kwara State.^[1] In 2001 he was head of a team from the Arewa Consultative Forum, a Northern cultural and political group, sent to meet and discuss common goals with Northern state governors and other leaders.^[4] Later Saraki switched allegiance to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and in the 2003 elections supported his son Bukola Saraki as candidate for governor of Kwara state in April 2003, and his daughter Gbemisola R. Saraki as senator for Kwara State Central in April 2003.^[5]

In March 2003, the Societe Generale Bank (SGBN) of which Saraki was chairman was investigated by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for alleged money laundering.^[6] Later, SGBN was investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under Nuhu Ribadu, and its license was temporarily suspended.^[7]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Dr. Olusola Saraki: A kingmaker at 70". Daily Trust. Monday, May 12, 2003. http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/2003/may/12/0196.html. Retrieved 2009-12-06. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Politicians have failed the country - Olusola Saraki". Nigerian Tribune. 31 August, 2009. http://www.tribune.com.ng/31082009/politics.html. Retrieved 2009-12-07. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ Allan Adepoju (15 August 2009). "Olusola Saraki Playing God". Vanguard. http://allafrica.com/stories/200908170055.html. Retrieved 2009-12-07. 
4. ^ Steve Nwosu and Tokunbo Adedoja (2001-09-01). "One North, Different People". ThisDay. http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/09/01/20010901cov02.html. Retrieved 2010-04-02. 
5. ^ Favour Ojiabor (March 31, 2003). "A Dynasty in Trouble". Newswatch. http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/2003/apr/01/113.html. Retrieved 2009-12-07. 
6. ^ Rotimi Sulyman (March 20, 2003). "Olusola Saraki Under Probe By NDLEA, CBN". Tempo (Lagos). http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/2003/mar/29/0232.html. Retrieved 2009-12-07. 
7. ^ FEMI FOLARANMI (January 20, 2009). "Ribadu was naïve, says Olusola Saraki". http://news.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?z=12&a=49. Retrieved 2009-12-07. 

Persondata
Name	Saraki, Abubakar Olusola
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1933-05-17
Place of birth	Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Date of death
Place of death