Bukola Saraki

About Bukola Saraki

The gavel came down on June 9, 2015, when Abubakar Bukola Saraki was elected President of the Nigerian Senate. At 52, he became the 13th president of Nigeria's upper chamber, commanding one of the most powerful legislative positions in the nation.

Saraki was born on December 19, 1962. His early career took him into medicine—he holds an MBBS degree. But politics ran deeper than his medical training.

He first stepped into public office as governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011. Eight years in the state house gave him the experience and profile he needed for higher office. In 2011, voters elected him to represent Kwara Central in the Senate under the Peoples Democratic Party.

The 2015 elections brought a shift. Saraki switched to the All Progressives Congress and won re-election. His peers immediately recognized his standing by voting him Senate President. He held the position until 2019.

Leadership, however, came with tension. Saraki grew uncomfortable within the APC. On July 31, 2018, he made his break official and returned to the PDP. The move signaled a deeper political realignment in Nigerian politics.

Ambition pulled him toward the presidency itself. In 2019, he declared his candidacy for the PDP presidential ticket. The primary race was crowded. Atiku Abubakar won the party's nomination, and Saraki accepted the role of director general for his campaign.

The general election that followed saw incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari retain power. Saraki's presidential dream ended in that defeat. The campaign closed a significant chapter in his political journey.

From medicine to state governance to the Senate presidency, Bukola Saraki carved a path through Nigeria's highest offices. His career reflects the country's shifting political landscape and the ambitions of a generation navigating its corridors of power.