Bukola Saraki | |
---|---|
13th President of the Nigerian Senate | |
In office 9 June 2015 – 9 June 2019 | |
Deputy | Ike Ekweremadu |
Preceded by | David Mark |
Succeeded by | Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan |
Senator for Kwara Central | |
In office 6 June 2011 – 9 June 2019 | |
Preceded by | Gbemisola Saraki |
Succeeded by | Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe |
Governor of Kwara State | |
In office 29 May 2003 – 29 May 2011 | |
Deputy | Joel Afolabi Ogundeji |
Preceded by | Mohammed Alabi Lawal |
Succeeded by | Abdulfatah Ahmed |
Personal details | |
Born | Olubukola Abubakar Saraki 19 December 1962 London, United Kingdom |
Nationality | Nigerian |
Political party | Peoples Democratic Party (2000–2014; 2018–present) |
Other political affiliations | All Progressives Congress (2014–2018) |
Spouse | Toyin Saraki |
Parent | Florence Morenike Saraki Olusola Saraki |
Education | Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ,Cheltenham College |
Alma mater | |
Profession | Physician and Politician |
Abubakar Bukola Saraki MBBS CON (; born on 19 December 1962) is a Nigerian politician who served as the 13th president of the Nigerian Senate from 2015 to 2019.[1][2] He was elected the President of Nigeria’s 8th Senate on 9 June 2015 under the All Progressives Congress (APC).[3]
He previously served as the governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011 and was elected to the Senate in 2011, under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing the Kwara Central Senatorial District. He was then re-elected in the 2015 general elections under the party of the All Progressives Congress (APC).[4][5][6]
He left the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and returned to his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he became the opposition leader, on 31 July 2018.[7][8][9] Saraki declared his presidential campaign for the PDP presidential ticket in the 2019 election,[10] but lost the primaries to Atiku Abubakar. He was subsequently announced as the director general of Atiku Abubakar's presidential campaign for the 2019 presidential election, which he lost to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.[11][12]