The political feud between former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Kwara State Government intensified on Wednesday as the state instituted a criminal defamation case against him over alleged remarks concerning Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s educational qualifications.

The suit, filed at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, accuses Saraki of publishing and circulating false statements through social media and newspaper reports claiming that Governor AbdulRazaq did not complete his secondary education.

According to the Kwara State Government, the statements are false, malicious, and have the potential to incite public unrest and tarnish the governor’s reputation. The one-count charge, brought by the Kwara State Ministry of Justice, alleges that Saraki’s actions violated Section 399 of the Kwara State Penal Code, which criminalises defamatory publications likely to cause a breach of public peace.

At Wednesday’s hearing, prosecution counsel Rafiu Balogun told the court that the matter was slated for Saraki’s arraignment. He urged the court to issue a bench warrant for the former Senate President, claiming he failed to appear in court despite being served with the necessary processes. Balogun also opposed a defence application for adjournment, insisting that the defendant’s physical presence was required for the proceedings to move forward.

However, Saraki’s lead counsel, Jimoh Mumini (SAN), challenged the jurisdiction of the Kwara State High Court, arguing that the case ought to have been filed before the Federal High Court. The defence further questioned whether Saraki had been properly served with the court documents.