Currently facing false asset declaration charges before the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCD), Senator Saraki is out on bail and his party the All Progressives Congress (APC) is already lining up a replacement to take over from him as senate president. Elected in controversial circumstances, Senator Saraki was not the choice of his party and several of its senators are doing everything to get him removed.
Earlier this week, the police were instructed to arrest Senator Saraki for failing to show up before the CCD tribunal and to avoid this, he decided at the last minute to appear. Although granted bail, Senator Saraki's trial before the CCB is still ongoing and he faces serious charges over his asset declaration when he was Kwara State governor.
Unlike at past Sallah's when Senator Saraki had prayed alongside President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, this year, he chose to observe the event in his native Ilorin. While he was there, Senator Saraki was said to have been stoned along with other dignitaries including the Emir of Ilorin Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari and the chief imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashir.
Protesters were angry because of the failure of the government to use bailout funds allocated by the federal government to pay the arrears of workers’ salaries. Some protesters were said to have started screaming Ole, Ole, Ole, as Senator Saraki entered the grounds while others shouted Ebi n pa wa, A o ki run, e fun wa lounje, meaning We are hungry, we're not praying, give us food.
Current Kwara State governor Abdulfatah Ahmed was absent at the venue as he went to Share, his hometown, to observe the prayers after reportedly being briefed of the security situation. Apparently the angry mob attacked the leaders with stones and water sachets.
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