Saraki: Police summoned me to distract senators plotting to leave APC

Senate President Bukola Saraki says he has been informed that the police summoned him in order to distract some senators plotting to defect from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, had written a letter to the senate president asking him to appear in person over the robbery incident in Offa, Kwara state.

The suspects arrested had reportedly confessed that the senate president bought arms for them.

But Saraki who has maintained innocence, accused the police of politicising their investigation.

In a statement issued by Yusuph Olaniyonu, his spokesman, Saraki said the plot to compel him to stay in a party “where its members are criminalised” will fail.

He alleged that the police have “obviously corrupted and politicised 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,” the statement read.

“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.”

Over 20 people, including police officers, were killed by the armed robbers who attacked five commercial banks in the city.