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Former Senate President Bukola Saraki will be arraigned on July 22 after a Kwara State High Court dismissed his application challenging its jurisdiction to hear a criminal defamation case filed against him by the state government.
Delivering the ruling on Friday, Justice M.O. Folorunso held that the court has the territorial jurisdiction to entertain the matter and rejected the seven preliminary objections raised by the defence.
The judge also refused the prosecution’s request for a bench warrant against Saraki following his absence from the previous court session.
The criminal charge stems from a social media post published by Saraki on April 17, in which he allegedly claimed that Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq did not complete secondary school.
The state government accused the former Senate President of making a false and insulting publication capable of causing a breach of public peace, contrary to Section 399 of the Kwara State Penal Code.
At the last hearing, prosecutors sought a bench warrant after Saraki failed to appear in court, while the defence argued that the High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and also questioned the service of court processes on the former Senate President.
Following Friday’s ruling, the court directed that Saraki be arraigned on July 22.
In a statement issued after the proceedings, Saraki’s media office said his lead counsel, Jimoh Mumini, was unable to attend the hearing because he was indisposed.
The statement added that Saraki has instructed his legal team to appeal the ruling on jurisdiction before the next adjourned date, maintaining that the issue should be determined before the substantive case proceeds.
Saraki also expressed confidence in the judicial process and urged his supporters to remain calm as the case progresses.
