Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has directed his lawyers to appeal a ruling of the Kwara State High Court rejecting his objection to the court’s jurisdiction in a criminal defamation and cyberbullying case instituted by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
According to a statement issued on Friday by Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, a press officer on local matters at the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, the decision followed proceedings before Justice M. O. Folorunso of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin.
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Mr Abdulqadir said the court declined the prosecution’s request for a bench warrant against Mr Saraki but also rejected the defence’s argument that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case.
“Dr Saraki has subsequently mandated his lawyers to immediately activate the appeal process and ensure the processes are fully filed before the adjourned date fixed by the trial court,” the statement said.
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The case was adjourned until 22 July.
The statement said Mr Saraki’s legal team maintained that the issue of jurisdiction was fundamental and should be determined before the substantive case proceeds.
According to the statement, the former senate president’s lawyers advised him to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal because jurisdiction “goes to the root of the matter.”
The case stems from a social media post published by Mr Saraki, who is also a former governor of Kwara, on 17 April in response to an earlier statement issued by the Kwara State Government.
The state government subsequently alleged that the post amounted to criminal defamation and cyberbullying against Governor AbdulRazaq.
According to the government, Mr Saraki’s comments questioning the governor’s educational qualifications were capable of causing a breakdown of public peace.
Mr Saraki, however, maintains that the social media posts constituted an exercise of his constitutional right to freedom of expression and a legitimate political response as an opposition leader.
The statement also said the former senate president reaffirmed his confidence in the judiciary and urged his supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding while the legal process continues.
Previous proceedings
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the matter came before the Kwara State High Court on 17 June, when the prosecution urged the court to issue a bench warrant compelling Mr Saraki to appear before it.
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At the hearing, Mr Saraki’s lawyers opposed the application, arguing that the prosecution had not properly initiated the proceedings and that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.
They also contended that the Facebook and X posts cited by the prosecution were protected expressions made in the course of political engagement.
Justice Folorunso declined to immediately determine the jurisdictional challenge and adjourned the matter for further proceedings.
The latest decision by Mr Saraki to approach the Court of Appeal means the question of whether the Kwara High Court has the legal authority to hear the case may now be determined by the appellate court before the substantive trial proceeds.
The appeal is expected to be filed before the next hearing scheduled for 22 July.
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