By Abiola Olawale
A former President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has condemned Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for what he described as his “irresponsible” handling of insecurity in the state.
Saraki, also a former governor of Kwara State lambasted Abdulrazaq over a deadly bandit raid in Oke-Ode that reportedly killed 21 people.
In a statement released in Abuja by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Head of Saraki’s Media Office, the governor was accused of dodging responsibility for the growing insecurity across the state by making “false, defamatory, and irresponsible insinuations” against Dr. Saraki.
The statement was in response to remarks made by Governor Abdulrazaq during a visit to Oke-Ode, where he appeared to compare the recent spate of violent attacks in Kwara North and South to the 2018 Offa robbery incident.
Speaking during the visit, Abdulrazaq pointed fingers at Saraki, who was Kwara’s governor at the time of the Offa attack, stating, “Bukola Saraki bears a court statement… Under his leadership, 33 people were killed in one day.”
He further implied that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Saraki in the state, should address its past failures before critiquing the current administration.
However, Saraki’s office criticised Governor Abdulrazaq for waiting five days before visiting Oke-Ode, suggesting his visit was reactionary and triggered only after Saraki brought national attention to the tragedy.
The statement reads in part: “Dr. Saraki intended to spur action. If that is what finally compelled the governor to visit the affected community, then the objective was achieved,
“The claim has always been baseless and was part of a now-collapsed smear campaign that helped bring the current governor to power.”
The media office also accused Abdulrazaq of backing a politically motivated lawsuit filed by selected family members of Offa robbery victims, aimed at tarnishing Saraki’s image.
