…Says His Link To ‘Offa Robbery,’ Politically Motivated
By ‘Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has pleaded with Nigerian youths not to be deceived again to score political points in the ongoing electioneering campaigns.
Making reference to himself, Saraki said that all sorts of lies and propaganda were told against him to the point of linking him to the ‘Offa bank robbery,’ all in the bid to score points in the last general elections.
Recall that over 30 people were killed in the infamous robbery, which still remains gory in the memory of the residents of the ancient town in particular, Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole in general.
The former governor of Kwara State said, “There were all sorts of lies and propaganda against my person by members of the ruling party during the 2019 general elections, all aimed to deceive Nigerian youth. There’s nothing again. Thanks to the Almighty Allah, truth will always emerge at the end of the day.
“Every day now, we’re hearing revelations. They say oga did Offa robbery, alhamdulilah, we’re here. They say oga carry allocation, we’re still here. They say oga bring plane, and I’m still bringing plane. This is your time to rewrite history, especially you the youth. Let’s vote for a party that cares for the people and vote for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and all its candidates.”
Saraki, who was speaking while inaugurating an 850-man campaign council to execute the 2023 general elections and midwife victory for PDP in Kwara State, charged the youth in particular not to be deceived as election time is here again.
He charged members of the campaign council and the generality of Kwara PDP members to capture their individual polling booths in all the 193 wards of the state, assuring them that they stood the chance of getting adequate rewards after the elections
He added, “I pray God to give you members of the campaign council the strength to deliver. Millions of people are relying on you. We should all know that every member of the party is a member of the campaign council. I want to assure you that every member would get deserving benefits for work done to win in each polling booth. Go and deliver your booths and leave the rest for God and I.
“Start house-to-house, door-to door, room-to-room, place-to-place campaign because everybody is important.”
Appreciating his supporters for standing by him through thick and thin, Saraki said, “I thank you for your steadfastness. Your loyalty would not be in vain.
“I thank you for your patience and loyalty. Majority of you do not lose hope despite the temptations or approaches made to you or hardship you suffered. You stood firm. And those that came back too, I thank you. Some of you are already smelling victory. I appreciate you.”
Also speaking at the occassion, chairman of the Campaign Council, Professor Ali Ahmad and the PDP state Chairman, Rt. Hon. Babatunde Mohammed, both said that the party had learnt its lessons from the experience in the 2019 polls, stressing that they were now prepared to take over political power both in the state and the country as a whole.
Hon. Mohammed in particular said, “We’ve learnt our lessons in 2019 and we’re going to remedy it all in 2023 to ensure landslide victory for all our candidates. I, therefore, charge all party members across the wards to ensure victory for all candidates in the general elections.”
