Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has directed his legal team to challenge the decision of the Kwara State High Court dismissing his objection to the court’s jurisdiction in the criminal defamation and cyberbullying case filed against him by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The matter came up before Justice M. O. Folorunso of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, where proceedings continued despite the absence of Saraki’s lead counsel, Jimoh Mumini (SAN), who was reported to be indisposed.
During the proceedings, the court declined the prosecution’s request to issue a bench warrant against the former Senate President but dismissed the defence’s preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
Justice Folorunso subsequently adjourned the matter until July 22, 2026, for further hearing.
Reacting to the ruling, Saraki’s legal team maintained that the question of jurisdiction is fundamental and should be resolved before the substantive trial proceeds.
In a statement issued by Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, Press Officer on Local Matters in the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, the former Senate President disclosed that he had instructed his lawyers to immediately appeal the ruling before the Court of Appeal.
“The issue of jurisdiction goes to the root of the matter,” the statement quoted Saraki’s lawyers as saying, adding that the appeal process would be concluded before the next adjourned date.
The case arose from a social media post made by Saraki on April 17, 2026, in response to an earlier statement issued by the Kwara State Government. The state government alleged that the post amounted to criminal defamation and cyberbullying against Governor AbdulRazaq.
According to the prosecution, Saraki’s comments questioning the governor’s educational qualifications were capable of causing a breach of public peace in the state.
At a previous hearing on June 17, government lawyers had applied for a bench warrant to compel Saraki’s appearance in court.
The defence, however, argued that the charges were improperly instituted and insisted that the Kwara State High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter. It further maintained that Saraki’s posts on Facebook and X constituted a lawful exercise of his constitutional right to freedom of expression and his right to respond as an opposition leader.
Reaffirming his confidence in the judicial process, Saraki said he remained committed to pursuing all legal remedies available to him.
“I have confidence in the Nigerian judiciary and its ability to do justice to all parties in every case,” he said.
He also appealed to his supporters across Kwara State and beyond to remain peaceful and law-abiding throughout the legal proceedings.
Saraki maintained that he would continue to speak on issues of public interest despite what he described as attempts by the Kwara State Government to silence him.
He further stated: “Mr. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s oppressive tendencies are mere inconveniences that will soon blow away.
“This is because the administration has only 10 months to stay in office and the tendency that it represents will be totally eradicated in Kwara State by the people.”
The outcome of the appeal is expected to determine whether the Kwara State High Court has the legal authority to continue hearing the criminal defamation and cyberbullying charges before the substantive trial proceeds.
