Politics
How Otoge Movement And Offa Robbery Caused A Revolt For Saraki In Kwara Politics
In 2011, Bukola Saraki retired his father, Olusola Saraki,
from politics by backing Abdulfatah Ahmed against Gbemisola, his own younger
sister, in the governorship race. Their father had been the godfather Kwara
politics for decades and the popular saying was: “Anywhere Saraki goes, Kwara
goes.”
After controversially installing Bukola, his first son, as governor in 2003,
Saraki – who was senate leader in the second republic – wanted the younger
sister as the next governor and pulled every trick in the book. He failed,
Bukola had his way and the conclusion was that Kwara now had a new godfather.
Well, not for too long. Bukola’s reign lasted for exactly eight years. He will
not be returning to the senate and, except his party,the PDP, wins the
presidential election and he gets a key position, the senate president may be
on his way to political oblivion.
The nation’s number three citizen was defeated in the Kwara central senatorial
district race by Ibrahim Oloriegbe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who
polled 123,808 votes to defeat Saraki’s 68,994 – a margin of 54,814.
A former governor of Kwara state and two-time PDP presidential aspirant,
Saraki’s defeat is the biggest news so far in the 2019 general election. Here
are five possible factors that may have caused Saraki’s fall.
THE ‘O TO GE’ MOVEMENT
For some years now, Kwara residents have been under the leadership of the
Saraki family, a culture many refer to as the ‘Saraki dynasty’. Saraki’s late
father, Olusola, was known for installing governors. In 2003, his son took over
from Mohammed Lawal as governor of the state, an office he held for two terms.
From there, he proceeded to the senate form where he is said to have been
calling the shots in Kwara.
But as time went by, the people were said to have been “fed up” of the
influence from Saraki’s family and gradually, a popular movement known as ‘O to
ge!’ began. Loosely translated as ‘enough is enough’, the movement – or revolt
as you may wish to call it – was spearheaded by key political figures in Kwara
including Abdulrahman AbdulRazak, APC governorship candidate in the state, with
the help of prominent figures there such as Lai Mohammed, minister of
information and culture.
Time and again, Mohammed lamented about the “Saraki dynasty.” The minister once
said: “The main issues here have to do with how our state has been governed in
the past 50 years, 40 of which have been dominated by a single family. What has
happened to the commonwealth, which has been cornered by a single dynasty at
the expense of the people?”
Fun fact: With what we understands that some of the voters did not even
know the name of Saraki’s main challenger; they were simply motivated by “O to
ge”.
Another key factor that led to the ‘downfall’ of Saraki is the popularity of
President Muhammadu Buhari. The president, it was gathered, is even more
popular than Saraki in in most parts of the state.
Interestingly, as the results of the presidential election tickled in, figures
showed Buhari was having a comfortable lead in Kwara against Atiku Abubakar of
the PDP, despite Saraki being his (Abubakar) campaign director-general.
Apart from the fact of the dwindling influence of the Saraki family following
the ‘O to ge’ movement, the presence of Lai Mohammed, the information minister,
helped boost the president’s popularity. In fact, in the build-up of the
elections, Kwara was one of the major states of interest for the president and
of course, the minister acted as the president’s front as events played out.
SORE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE
It is believed that Saraki’s not-so-good relationship with the people of Kwara
robbed him of some votes in the senatorial election.
Some reTheCable claimed to TheCable claimed he does not have a good relationship
with the people like his late father Olusola. “He is not free with his people
like his father was,” a resident said when asked about the senate president.
“People used to throng to their house when the father was alive but not
anymore.”
OFFA ROBBERY
On April 5, 2018, armed robbers attacked banks in Offa, Kwara state, killing 33
people, including pregnant women and 12 police officers. It later emerged that
some of the suspects had links to Saraki and the Kwara state government. This
created a major PR disaster for Saraki as he became publicly involved in a spat
with the police hierarchy.
http://gyonlineng.com/end-of-the-saraki-dynasty-kwara-politics/
The tragedy shook Offa to his very roots and apparently tarnished the image of
Saraki in the state, and this might have contributed in no little to cutting
down his influence and hurting his political fortune.
While addressing a press conference in Lagos earlier this year, Oloriegbe had
accused Saraki’s family of not sharing in the “common heritage” of the people
of the state. He also made it a point of duty to restore the state’s “lost
values”.
The APC candidate had said: “In the past 16 years, our society has been in the
grip of people who do not share our common values and heritage. They are
dealers whose concerns are at variance with the people’s aspirations. They are
leaders with (an) inordinate appetite for wealth acquisition. They are
political voyagers and power merchants. They don’t share our Islamic values and
culture of leadership.”
‘WRATH OF CIVIL SERVANTS’
A key factor that dealt a massive blow on Saraki’s ambition is the “poor
welfare” of workers in Kwara state. Residents who spoke to TheCable complained
the civil servants both at state and local government levels are usually not
paid their salaries – and when they eventually get them, the salaries come in
percentages.
“Sometimes, they pay workers as low as 30 percent,” a resident said, adding
that workers have been abandoned over the years.
But Saraki is not the governor – so why direct their frustration at him? “Ask a
typical Kwara man what his issue is and he may tell you Saraki has no paid us,”
another resident told TheCabe. “It is true he is not the governor but he is the
one calling the shots; so the people know if Saraki wants salaries paid, they
will be paid.” Many believe that Kwara resources are still under his control.
Obasa Appointed to CPA African Executive Committee
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has been appointed as a Sub-National Representative to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) African Executive Committee.
The announcement was formally conveyed through a letter from the CPA Africa Region, which was read on the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, on Tuesday, March 10. The appointment confirms Speaker Obasa’s three-year tenure, spanning 2026 to 2029.
Lawmakers took turns to congratulate Speaker Obasa, praising his devotion to parliamentary service and his consistent efforts to strengthen legislative practice. They described his appointment as a recognition of his hard work and a reflection of Lagos State’s growing influence within the Commonwealth. Members noted that his achievements continue to bring pride not only to Lagos but to Nigeria as a whole.
In his remarks, Speaker Obasa expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their support, urging them to remain steadfast in prioritizing the progress of the Assembly and to continue working collectively to advance the legislature. He further directed the Clerk to send a formal letter of appreciation to the CPA African Region for the honour bestowed upon him. “Let us always put the House of Assembly first and never relent in our efforts to move the legislature forward, ” Obasa concluded.
The CPA African Region plays a pivotal role in advancing the interests of African parliaments within the Commonwealth. It is widely recognized for promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, respect for human rights, democracy, and good governance across member nations.
TINUBU RENEWS TENURE OF THREE PERMANENT SECRETARIES
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the renewal of tenure for three Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, in line with existing public service regulations.
The approval was disclosed in a statement issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, indicating that the renewed appointments will take effect from April 27, 2026.
The affected officials include Kachallom Shangti Daju, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; Beatrice Jedy‑Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice; and Mary Ada Ogbe, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Regional Development.
According to the statement, the renewal represents a second and final four-year tenure for the officials, in accordance with the provisions of Public Service Rule 020909, which allows Permanent Secretaries an initial four-year term with the possibility of a second term based on satisfactory performance.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson‑Jack, congratulated the Permanent Secretaries on their reappointment and urged them to see the renewed mandate as a call to greater dedication and excellence in service delivery.
She further encouraged them to deploy their experience and professional expertise toward strengthening governance and advancing national development.
The statement was signed by Eno Olotu, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and dated March 6, 2026.
Politics
Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics
‘Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics
The attention of GDL Media Force and other well-meaning supporters of the Dauda Lawal-led administration has been drawn to a recent statement syndicated on social media by influencers from a group calling itself the Zamfara Good Governance Forum, which ludicrously attempted to portray the Governor’s security efforts as a “total failure.” This characterisation is not only divorced from reality. Still, it represents a desperate attempt by political opponents to rewrite history and undermine a Governor whose growing influence and performance clearly terrify them. It should be on record that in the whole of the North West region, Governor Dauda Lawal has tackled insecurity head-on with verifiable evidence that even those in the opposition have commended him for his huge investment in equipment that will further give security and armed forces an edge over those fueling insecurity in the country.
Since his assumption as Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Lawal has vowed that as the Chief Security Officer of the state, as well as the chief rescuer, an unprecedented commitment to tackling the security challenges that have plagued Zamfara for over a decade is his top priority and he is engaging it with much gusto. Unlike previous administrations, that engaged in shadowy deals with non-state actors, this Governor has chosen the path of transparency, capacity building, and decisive action. He was one of the Governors who openly declared that His administration would not negotiate with bandit rather his administration with fight them to a standstill and ensure they are cleared out.
In a bid to address the issues of insecurity with a well-planned arrival plan, he procured heavy Security Assets that even the Federal Government commended, him for. The recently procured and unveiled 25 units of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and an 80-meter endurance surveillance drone capable of covering 50 kilometres and operating continuously for eight hours. This represents the single largest state-government investment in security hardware in the history of Zamfara State.
The Defence Minister, during the inauguration ceremony, praised what he described as a clear demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to protecting lives and property, making the striking projection that “if we continue like this in the second term, Zamfara will look like Dubai”. This is not praise from a partisan source it is professional acknowledgement from the highest level of Nigeria’s defence establishment that Governor Lawal is doing something right.
Beyond heavy military hardware, the Governor has operationalised the Community Protection Guards in accordance with the law, providing them with 60 brand-new, well-equipped Hilux operational vehicles and specialised motorcycles to ensure swift response and effective first-responder services in difficult terrains. This is complemented by the distribution of 150 Hilux vehicles to mainstream security agencies including the Nigeria Police, DSS, and NSCDC, plus 20 Toyota Buffalo vehicles (both armoured and soft-body).
Perhaps most significantly, Governor Lawal established the Zamfara State Security Trust Fund, which provides a predictable, structured framework for logistical support to security forces. This moves the state away from the era of fragmented, reactive responses to a professional, sustainable security architecture.
When recent attacks occurred including the unfortunate February 19 incident in Anka LGA, Governor Lawal did not go into hiding or issue condolence statements from his office in Gusau. He immediately convened and personally presided over an emergency security meeting with all heads of security agencies at the Government House in Gusau, tasking them to urgently review the current security framework and implement coordinated countermeasures.
The Governor charged security chiefs to maintain “heightened vigilance, strengthened intelligence, and immediate, coordinated countermeasures” to ensure that criminal elements do not gain further ground. He also commiserated with affected communities and assured them of his administration’s full support both logistical and institutional. This is not the behaviour of a detached leader. This is the conduct of a Governor who understands that his primary constitutional responsibility is the protection of lives and property.
The public needs to understand the pedigree of those behind these allegations. The so-called “Zamfara Good Governance Forum” has a well-documented history of partisan attacks against Governor Lawal. A simple review of their previous statements reveals a pattern they have consistently attacked the Governor while remaining conspicuously silent during the administrations that presided over the worst years of banditry in the state. Interestingly, these attacks often coincide with political manoeuvres by the immediate past governor, Bello Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence. The Zamfara State Government has previously accused Matawalle of using federal security apparatus to intimidate opposition figures in the state. The current criticism fits a familiar pattern, when you cannot defeat a Governor politically or at the ballot box, you attempt to undermine him through sponsored propaganda spreading sheer falsehood to ensure the public turns their back on a performing Governor who is rebuilding the rot the Matawale-led administration caused.
These same critics who now demand a “security roadmap” conveniently ignore that Governor Lawal inherited a state that was virtually a failed entity where farmers could not access their lands, where markets were paralysed, and where government had lost all credibility through failed negotiations and ransom payments to bandits.
Critics also conveniently ignore a fundamental reality Governor Lawal is the only opposition governor in the entire North-West geopolitical zone. Since taking office in 2023, his administration has received no federal intervention funds beyond statutory allocations no special palliatives, and no enhanced security support that flows to states with ruling-party governors. Yet despite this political isolation, he has managed to fund security without resorting to new borrowing, while monthly servicing N1.2 billion in inherited debts from the Bello Matawalle-led administration. This is governance under siege fiscally constrained, politically isolated, yet still delivering.
Governor Dauda Lawal has never claimed that the battle against banditry is easy or that success will come overnight. What he has demonstrated is sincerity of purpose, strategic vision, and relentless commitment. From the Security Trust Fund to community protection guards, from armoured personnel carriers to surveillance drones, these are not the actions of a leader who has failed. The growing influence of Governor Lawal across the North-West clearly frightens those who benefited from the old order of insecurity. When banditry thrives, politicians who negotiate with criminals remain relevant. But when peace is restored through genuine security architecture, such elements become obsolete.
Zamfara State is on the path to lasting peace. The detractors may continue their campaign of falsehood, but the facts on the ground speak louder than their sponsored propaganda. Governor Dauda Lawal remains focused, undeterred, and absolutely committed to restoring full normalcy to every inch of Zamfara State. The people of Zamfara see the progress. The Federal Government acknowledges the investment. And history will remember who truly fought for the state’s liberation.
Signed: GDL Media Force Support Group
March 4, 2026
Abuja, Nigeria
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