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Tag: Gbemi Saraki

  • Gbemi Saraki savours freedom

    Gbemi Saraki savours freedom

    Gbemisola Saraki has it all the brains, the name, the connections, and a stunning figure that can turn heads and break hearts. What is more, the sultry daughter of the late strongman of Kwara politics, Olusola Saraki, maintains a stunning figure and inviting curves as she ages. Gbemi is as free as a bird that perches on the top of the tallest tree, unshackled and unencumbered by the demands of political office or amorous advances. She carries herself with the aura of a graceful amazon whose heart is closed to the tunes of love.

    Gbemi, a younger sister of Senate President Bukola Saraki, has been unattached since her marriage to Segun Fowora collapsed under the weight of ‘irreconcilable differences’ many years ago, and she seems not to be in a hurry to reverse the situation. Even though her ex-beau has since moved on and found another lady to give his heart to, Gbemi has so far remained steadfast in her disavowal of any romantic entanglement. The pleas of her numerous suitors have so far been falling on deaf ears.

    At recent events, society watchers have been hoping she would step out with a new man, but she has always disappointed them. Even when she was recently appointed the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, she stepped out to accept the appointment without any man beside her.

    Those who are close to her insist that she is happy the way she is and will consider settling down only if the right man comes along.

  • What’s up with Gbemi Saraki?

    Gbemi Saraki, the beautiful daughter of the late strongman of Kwara politics, Dr. Olusola Saraki, and younger sister of the new Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, wakes up every morning telling herself never to be in a hurry or lose her inner peace for anything even if the whole world seems upset.

    Perhaps one of the reasons she thrives in politics, a terrain dominated by men, is that, like most men, she refuses to pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it. Gbemi, a woman of a strong resolve, has always been a tough cookie to crack by her political opponents.

    Now she seems determined to learn from her past mistake by shielding her heart against the enticing strings of love. Since her marriage to Segun Fowora collapsed many years ago, the top politician and mother of three has remained single. While her ex-husband, who hails from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, has since remarried, the beautiful lady has refused to give marriage another shot.

    Shortly before her 50th birthday last year, it was rumoured that Gbemi, who has since defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), might use the occasion to introduce the man she intends to spend the rest of her life with. But the elegant woman shocked all when that part was excluded from the colourful event.

    However, Celeb Watch gathered that the frontline politician has not ruled out another shot at marriage and may in fact unveil the man who has captured her heart soon.

  • Gbemi Saraki keeps them waiting

    Gbemi Saraki keeps them waiting

    Gbemi Saraki, ravishing beauty and daughter of the late strongman of Kwara politics, Dr. Olusola Saraki, has always been a tough cookie to crack. The cerebral politician and and younger sister of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, can easily pass for a beauty queen. But she seems to have hardened her resolve towards men and turned her back on love.

    After a rough experience she once had with marriage, she seems to have adopted ‘once bitten twice shy’ as her motto, adopting a resolution to stay off love and marriage. Since her marriage with Segun Fowora collapsed many years ago, the top politician and mother of three has chosen to remain single. Her ex-husband, who hails from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, has since remarried but the beautiful lady would not give marriage another shot.

    In the build-up to the celebration of her 50th birthday last year, it was rumoured that Saraki, a former member of the PDP who has since defected to APC, might use the occasion to introduce the man she intends to spend the rest of her life with. But the elegant woman shocked all as that part was conspicuously missing from the programme.

    Celeb Watch gathered, however, that the frontline politician has not ruled out another shot at marriage and may in fact unveil the man who has captured her heart soon.

  • Double celebration for Gbemi Saraki

    Double celebration for Gbemi Saraki

    Senator Gbemi Saraki will continually be thankful to her maker and her elder brother, Senator Bukola Saraki, for providing the guides that resulted in her smart move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) a few days to the governorship election in Kwara State, which the latter won by a landslide.

    The amazon of the Saraki family has since been in a joyous mood. The joy occasioned by her triumph in politics will be accentuated when she turns 50 on May 3. We gathered that a special birthday party is in the offing for Gbemi, a product of the famous University of Sussex, United Kingdom, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

    Her close friends are already warming up for the birthday ceremony.

  • Defection: Minister, Gbemi Saraki trade words

    National Planning Minister Dr. Abubakr Sulaiman and Senator Gbemisola Saraki yesterday traded words over the latter’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The senator had on the eve of the presidential election directed her supporters to cast their votes for the APC.

    She later officially announced her defection to Kwara State APC.

    But yesterday, Dr. Sulaiman described the senator as a mole in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding that she defected because she lost out in the PDP governorship primaries.

    The minister, who spoke with reporters on the outcome of the governorship and state House of Assembly election, said: “Senator Gbemisola Saraki is not an issue to me. Kwarans have been talking about liberty; liberty from Saraki family. So, if Gbemisola goes back to her brother, it is the same thing.

    “Gbemisola has been a mole in the party. She was there to play a role and she has played that role and left.

    “Gbemi stood for primary election and lost. If she had won, would she have left? This is the message.”

    Reacting, Senator Saraki said: “The fact is that the minister, who claimed that he had done so much for the PDP is one of those who came and benefit from where they did not sow.

    “I think it is better for them, rather than be questioning why people left the party, to concentrate on why they are in the party and to do the best for their own party.

    “I did what is best to leave the party for Kwara and for Nigeria as we all know, as it is evident in the result of the last election that the country is about change. And like the PDP Chairman said at a time, ‘monkey dey work, baboon dey chop period’ is over.”

     

  • Gbemi Saraki returns to base

    Gbemi Saraki returns to base

    With the wind of change that is taking over the nation’s political scene, Senator Gbemi Saraki has dumped on  the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for  the All Progressives Congress (APC). With solid support from her elder brother, Senator Bukola Saraki, Gbemi ditched the PDP and hopped on the wagon of the wave-making APC.

    In the past few months, the rumour had made the rounds that Gbemi had become sick of the PDP and was contemplating a defection to her elder brother’s party but PDP chieftains in Kwara State kept appealing to her not to leave because they needed her support in the bid to deliver Kwara State to President Goodluck Jonathan.

    A few days ago, Senator Gbemisola Saraki made her defection to the APC official in Ilorin when she addressed her followers and asked them to tread in her path by joining APC and voting for the party’s governorship and House of Assembly candidates. She said the marginalization of women by the PDP in the state and the failure of the party to develop the state were the reasons she dumped the party to join forces with the APC.

  • Gbemi Saraki, Osunbor, Onoja, others join APC

    THE wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continued yesterday with more prominent members of the party joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), along with thousands of their supporters.

    Leading the group was a former governorship aspirant of the PDP in Kwara State, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, who announced her decision in Ilorin.

    The party’s youth leader, Chief Segun Olawoyin, also joined the APC at a colourful ceremony in Offa Local Government Area.

    Saraki said she left the PDP because of animosity and personal humiliation she suffered because of her identity as a Saraki offspring.

    Also yesterday, the Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, received over 5,000 defectors in Southern Kaduna area.  Receiving the new members, Osinbajo flayed the PDP for  harming the Nigerian nation, using religion and playing divisive politics.

    The vice president-elect told the  leadership of churches in Southern Kaduna Senatorial District that  only righteousness would redeem Nigeria and not manipulation of religion for political power.

    According to him, if Nigerians didn’t stand up to kill corruption, the menace would kill the country and collapse its weak institutions.

    Osinbajo: “The PDP has done more harm for Nigeria using religion and playing the religious card to just consolidate power. It is dangerous and more deadly for this nation. I am here to say that only righteousness exalts a nation. The people of Southern Kaduna must rise up  to ensure that manipulators of religion are defeated.

    “What Nigerians need is nothing but a government that will make necessary sacrifice for peace and development of the country.”

    The state APC governorship candidate, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, said: “I am pleased with the people of Southern Kaduna because we did well during the presidential election. The results clearly shows that PDP is being wiped out of Southern Kaduna and the entire state.

    ”Before, they used to write results. But this time around, the people insisted for change. We got one House of Representatives seat, it was almost three but for some deliberate diversion. And we will go to court.”

    Prominent among the defectors are Maj-Gen. S.B.S. Biliyock (rtd); a former member of House of Representatives, Ruth Jummai Ango; former Commissioner and Attorney General Zakari A. Sogfa; and 114 immediate past councillors from eight local government areas.

    From Niger State, former Secretary to the State Government Adams Erena also pulled out with 5,000 critical stakeholders in the PDP to the APC.

    The new APC members include a member of the state House of Assembly, former commissioners, local government chairmen and former PDP grassroots leaders. They were received at a mega rally in Minna, the state capital.

    The state Deputy Governor, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, who dumped the PDP in January, received the defectors and urged them to work for the success of the party in the governorship and state House of Assembly elections on Saturday.

    In Edo State, a former governor, Prof. Osarhiemen Osunbor, announced his defection to the APC.

    Osunbor, who was governor from May 2007 to November 2008, declared for APC with his supporters at Iruekpen, Esan West Local Government Area.

    The defection came a few hours after a former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Idada Ikponmwen also defected to the APC.

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who received the former governor and others, attributed the defection to God’s will and the performance of the party..

    He said: “ I will be working with a respected professor of Law like you and many of your supporters. We thank God for what he has used us to achieve. I appeal to our people to vote for our APC House of Assembly candidates because they will help me to develop the state rapidly. And with the APC government at the top, the sky is our limit.”

    In Benue State, former Katsina State Military Administrator Gen. Lawrence Onoja; a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Dr. Mathias Oyigeya, and other chieftains were yesterday received into the APC.

    The reception took place at the playground of Jesus College, Otukpo in Benue South.

    Chief Agbo Oga, former Chief of Staff to Senate President David Mark, Chief Mike Iduma, and Major Lawrence Ugbo (rtd), former PDP state chairmen and Mr. Peter Ochijele, a former member of the Benue State Executive Council were also received into APC.

    Others were Chief John Ochoga, former Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Mike Inalegwu and Mrs. Theresa Ikwue, former Agatu and Okpokwu chairmen, as well as Chief Inalegwu Ode, former Chief Press Secretary to the governor.

    General Onoja explained that the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, was his senior at a military institution in the United Kingdom and that having also served as Military Administrator of his home Katsina State, military tradition required that he lined up behind him.

    He said he also decided to end what he described as his political sabbatical to collaborate with other progressives to emancipate people of Benue South Senatorial District.

    He assured that incoming APC government would not disappoint Nigerians and urged the people to deliver block votes to the APC in Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections.

    Iduma stated that they took the decision to deepen democracy, join the battle against corruption and to support the election of Dr. Samuel Ortom and his running mate, Mr. Benson Abounu.

    APC leader in Benue State Senator George Akume said they took the right decision by leaving “a sinking ship”.

    Senator Akume was represented by his wife, Chief Regina Akume.

    In Warri, Itsekiri youth leader and former PDP mobiliser Chief Ayiri Emami confirmed his move from the PDP to the APC.

    Emami, a Warri palace chief and an ally of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, said he was leaving the PDP in the interest of the  Itsekiri nation, adding that he would be working to deliver the Emerhor candidature in the gubernatorial election.

    Emami said: “I am urging my Ijaw brothers to abandon this PDP ship because it is sinking in Delta State due to the overbearing attitude of one man. Their interest in the PDP is not protected. Instead, it is the interest of one individual, who sees his family and personality as greater than the others.”

  • About Gbemi Saraki’s rumoured defection

    About Gbemi Saraki’s rumoured defection

    IN the last few weeks, the political circles in Kwara State have been awash with rumours that Senator Gbemi Saraki is toying with the idea of defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The former lawmaker, it was learnt, has allegedly made up her mind to leave PDP owing to her personality clash with some PDP leaders in the state particularly Hajia Bola Shagaya. Saraki’s next political camp however remains a matter of conjecture, as she has kept almost everyone, including her close political associates guessing.

    The female politician has a big surprise up her sleeves, is what sources close to her could only volunteer on her possible next line of action.

  • Good tidings for Gbemi Saraki at 50

    Good tidings for Gbemi Saraki at 50

    What sets an exemplary woman apart from an ordinary female is how fast she bounces back from a bout of misfortune. Behind every dark cloud lies a silver lining. This has become the lot of Gbemisola Saraki, daughter of the late godfather of Kwara State politics, Dr. Olushola Saraki. Despite losing out in the Kwara State gubernatorial election, Gbemi Saraki, credited to be one of the most beautiful women in Nigerian politics, picked herself up, wiped off the dust and moved on. She will be 50 in April and she is over the moon and excited about turning 50.

    Gbemi has made efforts to have a new lease of life and she seems to have succeeded, even going as far as putting her anger aside and making up with her brother, Senator Bukola Saraki. The siblings were in a long-running feud since 2011 after Sen. Gbemi’s ambition to become the state governor was thwarted by her brother, who backed the incumbent governor of the state, Abdulfatai Ahmed. The past has firmly been put in the basket of history and friends are planning to celebrate the mother of two in a big way.

  • Gbemi Saraki, Jani Ibrahim concede defeat in Kwara PDP primaries

    Gbemi Saraki, Jani Ibrahim concede defeat in Kwara PDP primaries

    Two Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in last Friday’s primaries, Senator Gbemisola Saraki and Jani Ibrahim, have congratulated the winner, Senator Simeon Ajibola.

    The party, last week, declared Ajibola a third-term senator representing Kwara South, the winner of its governorship primaries.

    In separate statements, Ms Saraki and Ibrahim conceded victory to Ajibola, who polled 144 votes.

    In an electronic mail, Gbemisola Saraki said: “After a keen contest, the wish of the majority of our delegates is that Senator S. S. Ajibola should be our governorship candidate in the 2015 general election. I congratulate my brother as I also congratulate our party for the success of our primaries.

    “I’m a firm believer that democracy is a journey and not a destination. The appreciation of the lessons and our experience on that journey determine the value of our society as well as the quality of our leadership. Democracy was at work at our primaries and those lessons we learnt can only strengthen our resolve to see a better leadership and to work even harder for a glorious Kwara State.

    “The beauty of democracy is that an individual ambition cannot supersede the true wish of the majority. If we, as leaders, are truly champions of the interests of our people, we cannot be a party to the subversion of their legitimate aspirations and/or a chance at their pursuit of happiness.

    “Because I believe that we can build a glorious Kwara State where competence, true passion and transparent leadership mark the process of that rebirth, I was a candidate in the primaries. However, my passion for that rebirth isn’t for the sole direction of the voting at our primaries but the true interests of our people and our state.

    “As a team, we are going to work together with the choice of our party to rekindle the hope in our people of a government that can truly serve their true interests.

    “I’m often buoyed to see every lesson on the journey of democracy as an opportunity to grow higher and grow better in the true service of the people.

    “Allah gives power to whom He wishes. As a people, we must learn the lessons in His choices. Our people look unto us; we must be their mirror of the decency of a true leadership.

    “I thank you all for your support, encouragement, prayers, volunteering and work. I pray you would extend these to our party in the drive to birth a glorious Kwara.”