*….Accuses APC of Ignoring Rising Insecurity While Recycling Propaganda

*….Reaffirms Saraki’s Innocence in Offa Robbery Case

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Kwara State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a swipe at what the party described as a “watery and pedestrian response issued by the All Progressives Congress (APC) following our recent press conference, as well as our leader’s sharp and timely reaction to the unintelligent attempt by the Abdulrahman-led government to resurrect the Offa robbery case as an instrument of blackmail”.

In a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the PDP described the APC’s reliance on empty threats such as “you will face the law” as not only laughable but a clear demonstration of intellectual hollowness.

The party noted that in Dr. Saraki’s response to this renewed politically -motivated trial, he unequivocally reaffirmed his innocence and expressed readiness to meet any accuser in court, while also reiterating his confidence in the Nigerian judiciary, adding that “against this backdrop, the APC’s posturing is not only redundant but illogical”.

It added: “For the sake of emphasis, we hereby state that there is absolutely nothing new in the documents that Governor Abdulrahaman and his cohorts are currently parading in this renewed court process. These same claims have been previously investigated by the security agencies.

“It is instructive to remind the public that on two separate occasions, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation after thorough review of the police reports , not only absolved Dr. Saraki of all allegations but explicitly stated that there was no link—direct or indirect—between him and the crime or the suspects involved in Offa robbery . What further proof does the APC require to accept that Dr. Saraki has fully submitted himself to the law even before Governor Abdulrahaman came into office?

“We challenge Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the APC to answer a simple question: if this matter is genuinely about justice, why was this so-called trial not initiated alongside the original prosecution of the convicted offenders?

“It is equally important to recall that the convicts, who initially made televised confessional statements, later told the court that they were coerced by police officials handling the case to implicate Dr. Saraki. According to them, they were promised visa to leave the country, money, removal from the trial list, and other rewards if they implicated Dr. Saraki. Is the Kwara State government conveniently blind to these revelations made under oath in open court?

“Ironically, the APC also attempted to boast about developmental strides—an effort that only exposed Abdulrahamans glaring failures. Can the APC deny that Kwara State is currently witnessing an unprecedented surge in insecurity, banditry, and the systematic takeover of rural communities, particularly in Kwara South and Kwara North by bandits?

“Within the last 24 hours alone, terrorists brazenly attacked two communities in Ifelodun Local Government Area, abducting traditional rulers—including the Baale of Oloruntele and the monarch of Olayinka—and whisking them into the forest. This is the grim reality under Governor Abdulrahman’s watch.

“Records indicate that over 400 lives have been lost to insecurity in Kwara between 2025 and now. The pertinent question remains: why is insecurity declining in other states while escalating dangerously in Kwara State?

“The answer is simple—Governor Abdulrahman has been largely absent from the state, disconnected from the people, and consistently unwilling to visit affected communities or provide meaningful support to victims of these attacks.

“More troubling is the emerging pattern that suggests not just failure, but complicity and insensivity by the government. The true patron of the so-called ‘good boys’, we dare say, remains Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq himself.

“Kwarans will not forget in a hurry how government-linked hoodlums reportedly unleashed violence on harmless, elderly women who staged a peaceful protest at the entrance to the Kwara State Government House over the abduction of their loved ones by bandits. Eyewitness accounts revealed that after flogging and dispersing the grieving women, some of the attackers brazenly declared, “Ramoni is my own oga,” an utterance that clearly pointed to the power structure behind the assault.

“Till date, none of these individuals has been brought to justice—further reinforcing the belief that they are being shielded by those in authority. We make bold to state that both the perpetrators of that assault on innocent Kwarans and their sponsors will one day be held accountable for these inhumane actions when a responsible and people-oriented government is restored in Kwara State.

“In the same vein, cultism-related violence has escalated alarmingly within the state capital under this administration. Recent months have witnessed a spike in deadly clashes, with several young and promising Kwarans losing their lives to avoidable violence. This deepening insecurity is yet another indictment of a government that has clearly lost control of its primary responsibility—the protection of lives and property.

“We challenge the APC spokesman who was hired to recite a poorly scripted and comical press release, to provide evidence of any visit by Governor Abdulrahman or his deputy, Mr. Kayode Alabi, to his country home, Offa following the recent explosion that destroyed properties and left several people injured. Similarly, where were the numbers one and two citizens when the Deputy Governor’s own community, Omugo in Oro-Ago, came under repeated deadly attacks? How does such abandonment of people when they needed government most translate to responsible governance?

“On infrastructure, the much-publicized projects of Abdulrahaman administration are largely cosmetic and concentrated along a single stretch of one street, the Ahmadu Bello Way, earning the Governor the fitting nickname: “One Street Governor.”

“We reiterate that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has lost relevance and goodwill, not only among the people of Kwara State but even within his own party, where he has become a subject of ridicule. This reality was recently underscored by an APC chieftain Hon. Olosasa, who publicly declared on radio that the Governor can no longer win even a councillorship election in Kwara State. That statement alone is a damning verdict.

“Rather than his obsession with bringing Saraki down and making the PDP the scapegoat for his failure, the Governor would do well to engage in honest self-assessment and corrective action—if it is not already too late.

“Kwarans are now more politically conscious than ever. They are disappointed, aggrieved, and fully aware of the direction or lack thereof—under the current administration. No amount of propaganda against Dr. Saraki or the poor laundering of the governor’s image can alter the inevitable verdict that awaits Abdulrahman in 2027.”