A former secretary of Offa local government in Kwara State, Saheed Olamilekan Popoola, has submitted his letter of intent for the National Assembly aspirant at the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat.
The two-term member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, on Sunday, said necessity led him to once leave the party for the Action Congress (AC), later ACN and subsequently APC after the 2013 merger.
In his declaration, he disclosed: “my stand against injustice compelled me to leave APC for SDP in 2022. Today, I am proud to say I have returned home to the PDP in 2025 because truly, there is no place like home.”
He added that “the sense of belonging, the spirit of unity, and the feeling of landlordship I enjoy here are unmatched.”
According to him: “the Kwara of yesterday is not Kwara of today. And when the road ahead becomes unclear, wisdom demands a return to the starting point. That is why I have reunited with my political family and my leader, Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
“With my experience as a former Chief Executive, Commissioner, and Legislator, I possess a clear understanding of governance and the legislative process.
“I know what is required, where to find it, and how to attract it for the benefit of our people through the instrumentality of the National Assembly.
“Furthermore, for the obvious fact that the PDP is a party with defined leadership and organization, I wish to state clearly that I have come to declare for any National Assembly position that is zoned to our constituency.
“I remain fully committed to the decisions of the party and give my assurance of loyalty, discipline, and total alignment with the leadership and structure of our great party.”
Condemnation of Government Over Offa Robbery
He, however, condemned the state government for reawakening the 2018 deadly Offa bank robbery. He said the attention of well-meaning indigenes of Offa has once again been drawn to the desperate and unfortunate resort to name-dropping and distortion of facts by the administration of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in a bid to gain cheap political advantage.
According to him, it is both disturbing and disappointing that the painful memory of the tragic Offa Robbery of April 5, 2018 continues to be weaponized for political propaganda.
“I therefore strongly rebuke Abdul Rahman AbdulRazaq administration for his continued and insensitive exploitation of the April 5, 2018 tragedy for political gains.
“Such conduct is not only unbecoming of a sitting governor but also deeply disrespectful to the memory of the victims and the emotions of their families.
“It is even more troubling that in the nearly seven years of his administration, the governor has not demonstrated any meaningful support or compassion toward the victims' families. Yet, suddenly, the issue is resurrected in the public space—coincidentally at a time when Bukola Saraki is gaining renewed acceptance and goodwill among the people of Offa,” he condemned.
Defense of Saraki
He recalled: “let it also be placed on record that many of us who were members of the APC in 2018 understood clearly that a sitting Number Three citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could not have logically orchestrated a robbery operation for a mere sum reportedly around N7 million. The narrative pushed at the time was politically motivated, exaggerated, and ultimately discredited.
“During the course of trial proceedings, several suspects reportedly recanted earlier claims and revealed that they had been pressured to falsely implicate political figures in exchange for leniency.
“I therefore call on the good people of Kwara State, and Offa in particular, to see through this tired script of political blackmail and reject the antics of a failing administration.
“The sudden concern being displayed is nothing but the cry of a dying horse—an attempt to cling to relevance through the exploitation of communal pain.”
“Offa is a community of dignity, history, and discerning people. We must not allow our collective grief to be reduced to a tool for political rivalry,” he cautioned.
