The main opposition party in Kwara State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has kicked against fresh moves by the state government to reawaken the alleged Offa robbery case against former Governor Abubakar Bukola Saraki and some key figures.
Addressing journalists at an emergency press conference in Ilorin on Friday, spokesman of the party, Comrade Olushola Adewara, described the move as a disturbing development that strikes at the core of justice, humanity and responsible governance.
“Just like the overwhelming majority of Kwarans, we are shocked by recent reports in the national dailies alleging a plot by the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, to reopen and politicize the already concluded judicial process surrounding the tragic Offa robbery incident, with calculated attempt to frame the leader of our party, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki,” the Kwara PDP spokesman said.
While explaining that Saraki has not been served with any such court processes, the party declared categorically that “the move represents nothing but a desperate and reckless attempt by a politically drowning governor whose administration is winding down without any meaningful legacy of performance”.
He quoted two legal advisories of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, dated June 22, 2018 and August 23, 2018, which stated that there was no evidence linking Saraki, either directly or indirectly, to the incident.
“On the strength of this legal position, suspects were prosecuted, convicted at the trial court, and judgements were upheld at the appellate level and the matter now before the Supreme Court,” the party added.
This Kwara PDP challenged Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq “and his propaganda machinery” to present the complete legal records to the public, rather than selectively peddling narratives aimed at deceiving unsuspecting citizens.
The party called on the people of Offa, particularly the families directly affected by the robbery incident, to reject the attempt to turn their painful memories into tools of political propaganda.
“It is both unreasonable and illogical to associate a statesman of Dr Saraki’s standing, a two term governor and former Senate President, with such a heinous crime,” the party stated.
“Let it also be known that unlike in 2018, when such narratives were weaponized to manipulate public perception, the PDP will not sit idly by while the governor attempts to inflame tensions and poison the political atmosphere in the state.
“We hereby place security agencies on notice, the governor’s actions appear aimed at creating unnecessary tension and disorder as a diversion from his administration’s glaring failures.”
The party urged the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, in Kwara State to take note of the “dangerous development” and act to maintain peace and stability.
