The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has stated that the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, are trying to distort the facts surrounding the ongoing legal process over the 2018 Offa bank robbery case.

The party said the former Senate president’s reaction and the subsequent press conference by the PDP on Friday were mere attempts to pressure the public.

In a statement signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Abdulwaheed Olawale Babatunde, on Saturday, the party said Saraki and the PDP should not be unsettled if they are confident of their innocence, noting that: “the court deals with evidence and fact, not dramatic statements that seek to erase the facts of history.”

The APC urged Saraki to allow judicial process take its full course instead of resorting to media narratives.

“Rather than the shameful resort to personal attacks like a child whose lollipop was taken away, we advise him to go face his trial and let the court establish his guilt or otherwise,” the statement read.

Reacting to Saraki’s denial of any link to the convicted suspects in the Offa robbery incident, the party dismissed the claims as “laughable and deceitful.”

APC insisted that available testimonies and court records contradict his position. “Senator Saraki’s denial of link with the murderers is laughable and characteristically deceitful, given the large volume of evidence to the contrary. Only cowards make such denial,” it said.

APC promised to aid the courts to evaluate all evidence when proceedings commence in June.

The party further referenced testimonies said to have been given by key individuals during investigations, noting that “the convicts have named his role in how they acquired guns and other logistics. This is a matter of court record.”

Responding to criticism of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the APC defended the state’s performance, contrasting it with what it described as past governance failures.

“Kwarans can see clearly who truly understands what development and governance are, as compared to the stagnation seen under his watch,” the statement added.

Highlighting ongoing projects under the current administration, the party said Governor AbdulRazaq remains focused on infrastructure, education, healthcare, and timely payment of salaries and pensions, which it described as the reason for political discomfort among opponents.

“While PDP is busy re-litigating 2018 in press statements, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is building schools, constructing roads, upgrading healthcare centres, and ensuring workers are paid as and when due,” the APC stated.

On the ongoing legal process, the party maintained that no individual is above the law, insisting that public debate should not replace judicial proceedings.

“Now that the state government has rightly said Saraki and others have questions to answer regarding the Offa robbery, the proper place to do explanations is the court, not Facebook or media,” it said.

The APC also cautioned against what it described as attempts to politicise a criminal matter, urging the PDP and Saraki to focus on clearing their names through legal means rather than public statements.

“The PDP should advise Senator Bukola Saraki to clear his name through the judicial process now that he has been formally charged, instead of sponsoring panic statements to intimidate public institutions,” the statement added.

Reaffirming its position, the party said it remains committed to governance, security, and development in Kwara State, adding that it would not be distracted by what it termed “political noise.”

“The APC government in Kwara is committed to security, development, and justice for all. Our government will neither be distracted nor intimidated,” it concluded.