A fresh legal battle has opened in Kwara State as the state government has filed a criminal defamation suit against former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, accusing him of making false claims about the educational qualifications of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The case, which came up before the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on Wednesday, has added another chapter to the long-running political rivalry between the camp of the governor and that of the former Senate President.
The suit was filed by the Kwara State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Senior Ibrahim, alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ayoola Akande, and Assistant Chief State Counsel, B.L. Abdulsalam.
According to the court documents, the state government alleged that Saraki, on April 17, 2026, made and circulated statements through social media platforms and newspaper publications claiming that Governor AbdulRazaq did not attain secondary school education.
The prosecution argued that the statements were false, malicious and intended to damage the reputation of both the governor and the Kwara State Government.
It further alleged that the comments contained insulting and abusive expressions capable of causing public unrest and disturbing public peace, contrary to Section 399 of the Penal Code, Cap. P4, Laws of Kwara State, 2006.
When the matter was called before Justice M.O. Folorunso, prosecuting counsel, R.O. Balogun, urged the court to issue a bench warrant against Saraki.
Balogun argued that the former Senate President had failed to appear in court despite allegedly being served with the relevant court processes.
“The defendant was duly served but failed to appear before the court. We, therefore, urge Your Lordship to issue a bench warrant to compel his attendance,” the prosecutor submitted.
He also opposed an application for adjournment brought by the defence team, insisting that the prosecution was prepared to proceed with the matter.
However, Saraki’s lawyer, Jimoh Mumini (SAN), challenged the jurisdiction of the court and questioned whether the court papers had been properly served on his client.
According to the senior lawyer, the case ought to be heard by the Federal High Court rather than the Kwara State High Court.
“This matter falls within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court. In addition, the defendant was not properly served with the processes relied upon by the prosecution,” Mumini argued before the court.
Following submissions from both parties, Justice Folorunso stood down the matter for about two hours before delivering his ruling.
The judge held that the defendant was entitled to seek an adjournment and subsequently fixed July 3, 2026, for the hearing of the preliminary objection and possible arraignment of the former Senate President.
The latest suit comes barely months after another criminal case was instituted against Saraki and other former officials of the state.
Earlier on April 9, the Kwara State Government filed a separate 20-count charge against Saraki, former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, former Chief of Staff Yusuf Abdulwahab, and Alabi Olalekan.
The charges relate to allegations surrounding the arming of suspects who were later convicted in connection with the notorious Offa robbery attacks of 2018.
The Offa robbery incident remains one of the most shocking criminal attacks in Kwara’s recent history.
Armed robbers had stormed several banks and police facilities in Offa, killing more than 30 people, including police officers and civilians.
The case generated national outrage and attracted widespread public attention, particularly after some suspects allegedly linked prominent political figures to the crime.
Saraki has consistently denied any involvement in the robbery case and has maintained that investigations cleared him of wrongdoing.
Responding to the earlier charges, the former Senate President said he had no connection, directly or indirectly, with armed robbery or any criminal activity.
“I have nothing to do directly or indirectly with any case of armed robbery or any criminal matter,” Saraki stated in a statement personally signed by him.
He further argued that previous investigations conducted by the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation had exonerated him.
He described the renewed prosecutions against him as politically motivated.
In a statement released on Wednesday by his media office, Saraki confirmed that his lawyers, led by Mumini (SAN), appeared before the Kwara State High Court to challenge the defamation case.
The statement explained that the social media posts at the centre of the controversy were made on Facebook and X on April 17, 2026, in response to an earlier statement issued by the Kwara State Government.
According to Saraki’s media office, the comments represented a legitimate exercise of freedom of expression and constituted a right of reply by an opposition leader.
“Dr Saraki’s post on Facebook and X being complained of were mere exercises of his freedom of speech and right of reply, as the leader of the opposition to Governor AbdulRazaq’s political party,” the statement said.
The media office questioned how the governor’s camp arrived at the conclusion that the comments amounted to criminal defamation and cyberbullying.
It also accused the AbdulRazaq administration of repeatedly using the courts to intimidate opposition figures whenever they criticised government policies and actions.
“We note that it is a recurring decimal for the Kwara governor to seek to use the courts to harass and intimidate the leaders of opposition in the state any time they make any comment against the policies and actions of his administration,” the statement added.
Saraki’s camp further alleged that the state government appeared more interested in pursuing the defamation case than addressing insecurity in parts of Kwara.
The statement claimed that kidnappings, banditry and insurgent activities had become major concerns in parts of the state and deserved urgent attention.
It referred to reports of kidnappings in some communities, arguing that government resources should be directed towards improving security rather than prosecuting political opponents over social media comments.
Despite the legal battle, Saraki expressed confidence in the Nigerian judiciary and its ability to deliver justice fairly.
He assured his supporters that his legal team would continue to defend him vigorously in court.
The former Senate President also appealed to his supporters across Kwara State and beyond to remain peaceful, calm and law-abiding.
He insisted that what he described as attempts to intimidate or silence him through legal action would ultimately fail.
The case is expected to attract significant public interest in Kwara, where the political rivalry between Saraki and Governor AbdulRazaq has shaped the state’s political landscape in recent years.
With the matter now adjourned until July 3, attention will shift to the court’s determination of the preliminary objections and whether Saraki will be formally arraigned.
The outcome of the proceedings could have important implications not only for the parties involved but also for ongoing debates about freedom of expression, political opposition and the use of criminal defamation laws in Nigeria.