All hail Saraki, Nigeria’s number one political Mafioso by Buchi Obichie (Opinion) Read more:

Editors’ note: The writer, Buchi Obichie, analyses the superb political calculations of Senate President Bukola Saraki; especially his recent evasion of security operatives, only to appear at the red chamber and oversee the decimation of the APC! She describes him as a ‘political Mafioso’ and a force to be reckoned with; noting that with each tribulation he has encountered, the Senate president’s star has continued to rise. I love a good crime story. I’m particularly intrigued by the Italian mafia. They live by a set of rules…a code of conduct…a way of life. Real Mafioso’s are always neatly dressed, don’t talk too much and may appear as fools, but have minds of adept criminals. They also have a humane side, a genuine respect for family and others; and they usually won’t pick a fight until someone is foolish enough to take that route first…then all hell is let loose. The true Mafioso is shrewd, intelligent and cunning. He is always one step ahead. He gleans information by observation, and also from his trusted lieutenant – the consigliore. He is loved by his friends, feared by his enemies, respected by all. A man, a general, a king in his own world…the Mafioso reigns supreme! Now, I ordinarily wouldn’t liken politicians to Mafioso’s because I think the former are of a different (inferior) breed. A politician is hardly ever half the man a Mafioso is. Most politicians are fickle, and usually don’t have the heart for true revolution. They seldom have concrete beliefs and ideals, and change course as the situation befits them. However, every once in a while, there comes along a man in the field of politics, who possesses certain traits that gives one pause. READ ALSO: When Peter ‘The Rock’ Fayose crumbled the ‘PDP church’ in Ekiti by Buchi Obichie (Opinion) This unique breed is dangerous because he combines a blend of qualities unique to the Mafioso and the politician. With such a man, lesser men must come to the table bearing long forks because he will not hesitate to deal a deadly blow through the heart of a friend, as well as a foe. I call this man a political Mafioso; and of his kind, there are not many. But wherever he appears, he has only one destiny – to rise to the top. China has its political Mafioso in Xi Xinping, just as Russia has its own in Vladimir Putin. In Nigeria however, one man seems to be a personification of this scarce creature of politics; and that man is Bukola Saraki. Time and time again, the Senate president has proven just how capable he is of outsmarting his enemies, and leaving them in a continued state of disbelief. The man is a demi-god, on his way to becoming a legend. Dr Olubukola Saraki is a creature of intrigue. Soft-spoken, handsome, charismatic, diplomatic, highly political…with the heart of a criminal. Like a Cat with nine lives, Saraki has managed to run circles around his detractors and keep rising to the top. The man who won a battle against his own father, the revered Olusola Saraki, is no shrinking violet. Read more: https://www.naija.ng/1182931-all-hail-saraki-nigerias-number-political-mafioso-by-buchi-obichie-opinion.html#1182931