The weekend was a volatile one in the city of Ilorin, the Kwara state capital as the former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki made what was described as a grandiose entry into the city and to the embrace of his waiting crowd of supporters.
From the very early hours of the morning, a mammoth crowd had thronged the Ilorin International Airport route waiting to welcome Saraki back home after a temporary political hiatus. But it was more like an eternity for his teeming supporters who went wild in jubilation.
Adorned in different attires and customized T-shirts, they chanted praises of the former governor who was visiting Ilorin for the first time since he left office as Senate President in June, 2019. From the airport, through the Garin Alimi and Sawmill areas to the Emir’s palace, the crowd surged in uncontrollable mass in flagrant disregard to vehicular and pedestrian movements. It was reported that a major accident occurred in the wake of it at the Garin Alimi area. The casualties were rushed to the state General Hospital for treatment.
Another major incident was also reported at Iloffa Road, close to the GRA residence of the Sarakis, where hoodlums unleashed mayhem.
Bukola Saraki was in Ilorin for the 8th year memorial prayer for the patriarch of the family, Dr Olusola Saraki. Coincidentally, the weekend also marked the grand finale of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Emir of Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim Zulu Gambari which came up on November 11.
The fidau prayer was held at the Sarakis’ Iloffa, GRA residence, where the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammed Bashir Solihu led the prayer session. He was supported by the Grand Mukadam of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulaiman Dan-Borno, Sheikh Saanu Sheu and Imam AbdulRazaq Aduagba.
Dignitaries at the event included the minister of state for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engr. Kola Shittu, former Acting national chairman of the PDP, Alh Abubakar Kawu Baraje and former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad among others.
Mid noon while the event was on, the street was thrown into confusion as wild commotion erupted close to the venue of the event. What people saw was a lifeless body of a man drenched in blood. He was later confirmed dead.
Although it was not clear the mission of the hoodlums, eye witness accounts were unanimous that the clash was cult related.
What probably gave credence to this account was the fact that as at 8.pm of that Saturday, audible, distant but awestriking sounds of gunshot were still rocketing the Post Office area, while people scampered for safety in as far distance as Maraba and Sabo-Oke areas.
Both the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC and the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are trading blames on who was responsible for the attack on Iloffa Road at a most inauspicious moment when prayers were on in remembrance of the great Oloye.
The APC through its state spokesperson, Folaranmi Aro put the blame on Sen. Bukola Saraki advising him not to take the state to its inglorious past.
Aro wrote in a press statement “For the first time since Senator Bukola Saraki and his minions were overwhelmingly rejected by the people of Kwara State, our state again on Saturday recorded a sad reign of hoodlums at an event organised by the senator.
“This is sad and unacceptable. It is a reminder to the dark days of his inglorious reign in the state when he not only patronised hoodlums but he also placed them on government’s payroll, thereby legitimising thuggery,” the statement said.
But the PDP through its PRO Tunde Ashaolu fingered the State government on the incident and demanded the immediate investigation, arrest and prosecution of the suspects.
He said in his release: “We wish to place it on record that the APC is responsible for the ugly and unfortunate incident that played today out at venue of the prayer session held in honour of the late political icon of Kwara, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki.
“Before today’s event, we saw on social media platforms leaked screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation, where an appointee of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq instructed some thugs to unleash attack and cause chaos at the venue of the programme.
“We are therefore amused by the futile attempt by the confused spokesperson of the Kwara APC to re-write the narrative. The APC is obviously not happy that the prayer session was a success and that its mission to disrupt the occasion and unleash mayhem on attendees failed. They were also rattled by the visit of the Former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the rousing welcome he received on his arrival to Ilorin.
“The images of patients on hospital beds shared online by the rabble-rouser Kwara APC PRO are people who were involved in an accident this morning under the bridge at Gerri Alimi, and then taken to the General Hospital, Ilorin, for treatment. Some of them are even supporters of our party.
“It would be recalled that it was this same appointee that coordinated thugs who recently attacked labour leaders at the Labour House, Ilorin. He also coordinated the thugs who barricaded entrance of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, KWIRS, during the workers’ strike.
“It should also be noted that the security situation in Kwara has been on the decline since Governor Abdulrahman took over. Cases of Kidnap for ransom, cult clashes, robberies and shop burglary have been on the rise in recent months.
“These are matters the Governor should be concerned with” He concluded.
Indications that Saraki was ready for a rebound in Kwara politics actually came at the prayer session when Imam Abdurasaq Aduagba sought remission from Kwarans for the former Senate President. While urging people to discourage bad publicity against him, he said “Saraki is a symbol of love”
According to him “We can all see the difference in what happened before and what’s happening now in the political situation of Kwara. Our people, should therefore, change their ways to love one another. Let’s forgive ourselves and accept God’s ways”, he admonished.
Saraki also gave a marker of what is to come in Kwara state politics. In a brief chat with journalists. He said he is “back and better politically”, promising to henceforth frequent home like he used to.
“I intentionally stayed away from the State to give room for the new government to govern and showcase what they can offer. People have started comparing and contrasting.
“Politics is just like the Premiership League, we’re getting ready for the new season, we’re back and better” he said.
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