Police invitation meant to stop defection of APC lawmakers to PDP – Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has stated that the invitation to him by the Police to report to a station in Guzape over the Offa robbery investigation is designed to abort the planned defection of aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Saraki in a statement on Monday night in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, described the invitation is an afterthought designed to achieve political purpose.

He stated that he has it on good authority that the Police had already decided on the suspects to arraign in court in Ilorin, Kwara State on Wednesday based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed U.E. and that the turn around to invite him was a ploy aimed at scoring cheap political points.

“I have been reliably informed that the police invitation was planned by IG as a ploy to stop an alleged plan by some Senators and House of Representatives members from defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was also said that if I was detained between Tuesday and Wednesday, that will abort the so-called defection plan.

“While I continue to maintain that the issue of my position on the 2019 elections is not a personal decision for me alone to make, it should be noted that all these concoctions and evil plot cannot deter me. Those behind this fresh assault will fail as I have nothing to do with the robbery incident or any criminal matter for that matter.

“I am aware that following a request made by the Police on June 13, 2018 to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Fedeeation had written a legal advice dated June 22, 2018, in which he stated on page 5, paragraph (f) that “For the Senate President and the Kwara State Governor, this office is unable to establish from the evidence in the interim report a nexus between the alleged office and the suspects”.

“The Police have obviously corrupted and politicized their investigations into the Offa robbery incident. They have turned it into an instrument for the party in power to suppress perceived opponents, witchunt issue for blackmailing people from freely choosing which platform on which they want to pursue their ambition and a matter for harassing the people whose exit from APC would harm the chances of the party in the forthcoming elections.

“I want to make it apparent that I have no hand in either the robbery incident or any criminal acitivity. The Police in their haste to embarrass me sent the invitation to me at 8pm and requested that I report to the station by 8am tomorrow morning. This obviously demonstrated their desperation as I do not see why they are now in a hurry.

“They also stated in today’s letter that because in my response of June 7, 2018 to their own letter written on June 4, 2018, I stated that I was responding simply to the contents of the letter and that the full text of the statement made by the arrested suspects which they claimed indicted me was not made available to me, they were now including the suspects statements in the current letter. Yet, instead of including the suspects’ statements, they only attached two copies of my own letter to the invitation. No suspects statement was made available.

“This plot aimed at compelling me and my associates to stay in a party where members are criminalised without just cause, where injustice is perpetrated at the highest level and where there is no respect for constitutionalism is an exercise in futility and it will fail.

“Once again, my confidence in God and our judicial system remains intact and unshaken. The truth shall also prevail in this case”, he stated.

In a letter of invitation personally signed by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Monday, the police chief asked the nation’s Number Three citizen to appear to report to the head of the Investigation Team at the Intelligence Response Team at Guzape Junction, Asokoro Extension, Abuja on Tuesday, July 24 by 8am.

The invitation titled: ‘Case of Offa Bank Robbery and Gruesome Murder of more than 31 Persons and Snatching of 21 AK47 Rifles on the 5th of April, 2018’, pointed out that some of the robbers had admitted to being political thugs of Saraki.

It would be recalled that Saraki was summoned by the police last month, but the invitation was abruptly withdrawn, as he was asked to submit his response to the allegations in writing.

The IG’s letter dated July 23, 2018, requested the Senate President to turn himself in to clarify the grey areas in his earlier written statement to the police on the matter.

“After a careful perusal of your letter to the Police, it was discovered that the statement requires further clarification and coupled with the fact that you stated that the full text of the statements of the suspects were not shown to you, it is imperative you report to the Police to make further statements after giving you the full text of the statements of the suspects.

“It is in line with the above that you are requested to report to the head of the Investigation Team at the Intelligence Response Team at Guzape Junction, Asokoro Extension, Abuja on 24th of July, 2018 at 8am for further investigation on the matter,” the statement reads in part.

Saraki is a member of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (N-PDP) faction of All Progressives Congress (APC), said to have concluded plans to join the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following breakdown of negotiations with President Muhammadu Buhari and the Adams Oshiomhole-led APC.

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja

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