Offa robbery: Kwara groups differ from PDP, APC over Saraki

Date: 2018-06-16

The Kwara State chapters of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday dismissed calls by some cultural and socio-political groups that Dr. Bukola Saraki should step down as Senate President until investigation into the recent Offa robbery incident was concluded.

The state PDP chairman, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, and the state Publicity Secretary of APC loyal to Saraki, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, said there was no need for Saraki to step down from his position yet.

Two groups - Offa Youth Vanguard and Concerned Citizens of Offa Community - had asked Saraki to step aside until the investigation into the robbery incident was concluded.

Oyedepo, however, said since the Senate President had not been convicted by any court, it was premature to call on him to either resign or step aside.

He said, "Saraki has not been found guilty by any court with regards to the Offa robbery. Though the police have mentioned his name as having some gray areas to clear, but that does not mean that he has been proved guilty. The call for his resignation will be weighty when he has been convicted by a court. In that case, he will have no choice but to resign."

Similarly, Buhari said, "The call for the Senate President to resign or step aside is baseless and unfounded. Has he been convicted by any court in respect of the Offa robbery?

"It is a mere allegation which has not been proved and we know the Senate President will be vindicated at last because he is a man of peace. He abhors violence and cannot involve himself in the sponsorship or encouragement of bank robbery and killing of innocent people. He does not sponsor thugs and encourage thuggery."

Earlier, President of Offa Youths Vanguard, Mr. Femi Oyeleke, had during a media briefing in Offa, said, "All those who are allegedly involved in the act, including the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, must be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted if there are sufficient grounds to do so.

"Saraki must urgently demonstrate his clear readiness to clear whatever remains of his integrity by firstly, resigning from his position and defending himself over whatever criminal charges that may be brought against him.

"It is incumbent on him to prove his innocence on the several allegations levelled against him by some of the arrested suspects."

Also, the Concerned Citizens of Offa Community, in a statement by its President, Mr. Tunde Yusuf, and Secretary, Mr. Segun Balogun, said Saraki had a moral duty to clear his name.

Meanwhile, the Convener, Yaman Peace Frontier, Kwara State, Mr. Olawale Gbadeyan, has said the people of the state are behind the investigation of the Offa robbery incident by the police.

Gbadeyan, who is a governorship aspirant in the state, spoke on the sidelines of a special summit for peace in Kwara.

He said, "Kwara people are behind the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, and we support him. We want him to do a thorough investigation and prosecution of whoever is involved in the Offa robbery incident.

"We have over 30 people that were killed in Offa, including nine police officers and about two pregnant women. This is not what Kwara is known for. Kwara is known as the 'State of Harmony', where there is peace but the recent events happening in Kwara State are alien to us."

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

07039448763     Nigeria Governors\' Forum     Valsolar Consortium     Kwara State Health Insurance Agency     Lukman Oyebanji Fagbemi     Deji Ajani     Popo-Igbonna     Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Niyi Ogundiran     Aliyu Muyideen     Onilorin Of Ilorin     Isiaka Abdulrazak     Onilu     Ganiyu Taofiq     General Hospital, Offa     Olayinka Jelili Yusuf     Awwal Jawondo     Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund     Lawan     Bature Bello     Olatunde Jare     Paul Olawoore     Toyin Sanusi     BECE     Dankaka     Yaman     Isiaka AbdulRazaq     A.E. Afolabi     Fatai Garuba Labaka     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Tafida     Amina El-Imam     Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah     Mohammed Ghali Alaaya     Dele Belgore     Kudirat Arinola Lawal     Simeon Sayomi     Shehu Alimi Foundation     Egbewole     Onilorin     Volunteers Of Ilorin Community And The Emirate     NAWOJ     Afonja     Ibrahim Mashood     Oke-Ero     Kamaldeen Kehinde     Kwara Basketball Association     Iliasu     IEDPU     Tsado Manman     Roseline Oni Aremu     IDPU     Razak Atunwa     The Herald     Babajide Ajayi     Adamu Atta     Surajudeen Akanbi     Doyin Awoyale     Theophilus Oyebiyi     Mohammed Katsina Ahmed     Abdulwahab Oba     April 11     Amos Sayo     Olabanji Orilonishe     Michael Nzekwe     Sadiq Buhari     GGDSS Pakata     Sarkin Malamai     Olatunde Oyeyiola     David Oyepinola Adedumoye     Joseph Bamigboye     Jumoke Gafar     Osuwa     Olaoye B. Felix     ASMAU PLAZA     Iyabo Adisa Ibiyeye     Musbau A. Akanji    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Sadiq Buhari     Salman Jawondo     Musa Aibinu     Abdulrazaq Sanni     Ibraheem Adeola Katibi     Oni Adebayo     Abdulraheem Yusuf     Kwara State Football Association     IESA     Segun Adeniyi     Kola Bukoye     Ogbondoroko     Ado Ibrahim     Yusuf Olaolu Ali     PAACO-PCL Consortium     AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah     Mohammed Alabi Lawal     SWAN     Mashood Dauda     Kwara Apc     Isiaka Yusuf     Offa     ASKOMP     Isiaka Gold     School Of Nursing     Alabi Olayemi Abdulrazak     Saadu Gbogbo Iwe     Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa     Hamid Bobboyi     Mubarak Oladosu     Abraysports FC     Saidu Isa     BECE     Baba Issa Awoye     Oba David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone     Kayode Oyin Zubair     Babs Iwarere     Matthew Babaoye     Ileloke     Bilikis Oladimeji     Kwara United     Okeose Christian Cementary     Kayode Zubair     Odo-Owa     Senate     Federal Polytechnic Offa     Kwasu     Oke-Kura     Moremi High School     Kola Shittu     Olukotun Of Ikotun     NULGE     Malete     Tunji Oyawoye     Yahya Mohammed     Muhammad Yahya     Ahmad Belgore     TESCOM     Seni Saraki     Kamaldeen Ajibade     Oyin-Zubair     TIIDELab     Al-Hikmah University     Eghe Igbinehi     Mahmud Babatunde Baker     Babaita     Folaranmi Aro     Majlis For Sadakah, Zakat And Waqf     Unilorin     Lanre Olosunde     Wasiu Odewale     Ishaq Salman     Sherif Sagaya     Joseph Bamigboye     NIRSAL     Adeniyi Ojo