OffaRobbery: No Nigerian Politician Has Endured More Persecution/Prosecutions Than Dr. Bukola Saraki by Sholyment Olusegun Olusola
In the annals of Nigerian politics, one undeniable truth stands tall is that no politician, dead or alive, has faced as much targeted prosecution and persecution as Dr. Bukola Saraki. Throughout his days as leader of the 8th National Assembly and Senate President, he has been vilified by the very APC government he helped entrench.
Under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Saraki was relentlessly framed and scapegoated, held responsible for everything wrong, even for issues far beyond his jurisdiction, including crises in other states.
From trumped-up charges to outright political attacks, Saraki has been vilified in ways that would have crushed others. Yet, through it all, he has emerged victorious, with his integrity and commitment to truth intact.
The most ridiculous of the frame up is that of Offa Robbery case, in a desperate bid to implicate him, suspects were coerced to tie him to the crime. However, such a ridiculous conspiracy could never stand the test of legal scrutiny. The then Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decisively advised the compromised police leadership not to let their politically-fueled hatred for Saraki cloud their professional judgment.
It was based on legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who after consideration of all evidences tendered by police eventually advised the compromised police of that time to abandon its witch hunt against Saraki and face the culprits fingered in the case if truly they want the case to a a smooth Prosecution in court .
The DPP made it clear that there was no evidence, no link, and no basis for dragging Saraki into such a dastardly act. The very notion of linking a Senate President, who oversaw the National Assembly’s budget, to a bank robbery was not only absurd but deeply insulting to the intelligence of the Nigerian people. What motive could Saraki possibly have? To make money ? Or to win a Kwara south Senate seat? The whole things defied all logic.
It is important to remember that at the height of these attacks, Saraki had the option to seek a political “solution.” As a leading member of the APC at the time, he was well aware of what his persecutors wanted. By capitulating to their demands, he could have easily navigated his way out of the trials that plagued him—the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), EFCC investigations, and the Offa robbery frame-up. Not only would this have shielded him from further persecution, but it would have also secured his political stronghold back in Kwara. Infact , this is the path many high ranking politicians like be toed . I don’t need to be mentioning names , Nigerians know them , some of them are still holding public offices at the moment .
But Saraki chose a different path. He refused to trade his principles for political convenience. Instead, he confronted his challenges head-on, enduring every trial and persecution, while maintaining his dignity. The highest courts in the land eventually vindicated him, declaring him innocent of all charges. Regarding the Offa robbery, Saraki voluntarily submitted himself to police investigations, only for the DPP, after careful scrutiny of all evidence, to once affirm that he had no connection to the suspects arrested.
Below is a memo from the DPP’s office, exonerating Dr. Saraki and then-Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed (Maigida) of any involvement in the Offa robbery. This memo not only cleared their names but exposed the malicious intent behind the politically motivated accusations.
Fast forward to today, and we are witnessing individuals, sitting comfortably in their mud houses, clamoring for a reinvestigation of a case that had been thoroughly probed and closed by the highest investigative authorities in the land. Such calls should be met with the highest condemnation.
It is deeply concerning that political forces continue to exploit the tragic Offa robbery for their selfish gains. Justice for the victims of that heinous crime has been delayed for over six years because of the political coloration imposed on the matter. And now, we find ourselves in yet another phase where the court has made its ruling, leaving the option of appeal to those convicted if they so wish.
Offa people must not allow these baseless political distractions to continue clouding the truth. The pursuit of justice must not be hijacked by those who trade in propaganda to hold on to power . I urge our people to seek the truth, defend it, and reject the lies and propaganda peddled by those who do not understand the transient nature of power.
May God guide us toward truth and justice.
Sholyment Olusegun Olusola
State PRO,
Kwara PDP