A former member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Saheed Popoola, admitted to playing a leading role in linking former Governor Bukola Saraki to the 2018 Offa bank robbery to settle political scores.
Mr Popoola, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Kwara South, disclosed this during a visit to the palace of the Olofa of Offa, Mufutau Gabadamosi, on Sunday.
“We pinned the Offa robbery on Saraki to settle political scores,” he said.
He said he regretted joining the political campaign against Mr Saraki in the 2019 general elections, which brought the APC-led government to power in the state.
In 2019, the All Progressives Congress (APC) formed a movement, ‘Otoge’ (meaning enough is enough), in Kwara State to unseat the PDP, particularly the Saraki dynasty. The PDP had controlled Kwara politics since 2003.
Mr Popoola said he supported the ‘Otoge’ movement in the last elections because he believed it would deliver better governance and development, but he later became disappointed with the outcome.
According to him, several political actors were misinformed and resorted to making allegations against Mr Saraki because of their political differences.
“I regret fighting Saraki because I was misinformed during the ‘Otoge’ struggle,” he said.
He added that Mr Saraki’s financial standing made the allegation of his involvement in the robbery questionable, noting that the incident had been repeatedly brought into political discussions to damage his reputation.
Mr Popoola further described the renewed focus on the Offa robbery allegations as politically motivated, saying a matter that should have been left to the appropriate authorities was revived for political advantage. The April 2018 robbery left 33 people, including cops and a pregnant woman, dead.
His remarks came amid the ongoing prosecution of Mr Saraki by the Kwara State government over alleged sponsorship of the robbery, an allegation he has repeatedly denied.
Speaking at the palace, the convener of Orisun Igbomina, Gbenga Awoyale, said he was among those who spearheaded the Otoge campaign and worked to bring the APC to power.
Mr Awoyale expressed regret over his involvement and declared his readiness to oppose the current administration.
“Now, I and many others regret our actions and deeds. For the sake of my conscience, I must fight this government. God and the unborn generations will not forgive us all if we don’t rise against it,” he said.
He also raised concerns over insecurity in the state, claiming that no fewer than 30 traditional rulers had abdicated and about 25 communities had been deserted because of attacks by bandits.
Addressing the monarch, Mr Saraki recalled his role in his selection and enthronement in 2010, saying he stood by the traditional ruler despite opposition from some quarters.
He said he supported the king’s emergence despite petitions and complaints from some stakeholders, urging the traditional ruler to reciprocate by encouraging residents to vote for the PDP.
“I slept in Offa to see you today because of my respect for you. Let us here and beyond know that I am not a visitor here in Offa, particularly in this palace,” he said.
He also urged the monarch to mobilise residents to support the party in the 2027 elections, promising that a PDP administration would continue to prioritise town development.
In his response, the monarch urged residents and other Nigerians to obtain their permanent voter cards (PVC) and participate actively in the 2027 general elections.
During his visit, Mr Saraki donated N50 million towards addressing Offa’s longstanding electricity challenges.