Makanjuola: Insiders Dismiss Claim Of Abandonment By Saraki, Label Ex Lawmaker Ingrate.

By Omowumi Omotosho

Contrary to the narratives trailing the resignation of a former member, Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which tied his resignation to his being abandoned at a critical period by his boss and former President of the Senate, DR Abubakar Bukola Saraki, sources who claimed to be in the know said nothing could be further from the truth.

As the narratives go, Makanjuola, who was Saraki’s deputy chief of staff as president of the 8th Senate and two-time deputy governorship candidate, was abandoned by his boss during his legal battle over alleged N3.5 billion fraud.

Makanjuola and Kolawole Shittu, both aides of Saraki, were eventually discharged and acquitted of the charges by the federal high court in Abuja on July 18.

However, following the legal victory, words started making the rounds on social media that Saraki abandoned Makanjuola to his fate throughout the trial period.

It was alleged that Saraki did not support Makanjuola financially to prosecute the case.

However, one of the sources who spoke to the National Pilot on condition of anonymity, dismissed the allegation as untrue. And even though Makanjuola has not come out to categorically accused Saraki, the source fingered him as being behind the allegation.

“He may not have come out to openly accuse his former boss, but it is a well-known fact that he has been spreading this narrative through lamentation to his friends and political associates, the majority of whom shared his sorrow and seemed to sympathise with his supposed plight”, the source said.

Dismissing the alleged abandonment of Makanjuola by Saraki as a complete falsehood, another source argued that Saraki actually supported Makanjuola during his legal battles.

According to the source, Saraki single-handedly paid for the legal services.

“How can he say that he was abandoned when it was Saraki who footed the bill of the case? That claim is a lie from the pit of hell, “said the source, adding that Saraki’s benevolent gesture to Makanjuola was massive.

The source noted further that Makanjuola’s acquittal was a fallout of the Supreme Court’s decision on the alleged Paris funds fraud, which was ruled in favor of Saraki and the CEO of Melrose General Services Limited, Robert Mbonu.

Makanjuola himself acknowledged this in his reaction to his victory on the fraud allegation.

He was quoted by the media thus: “The court confirmed that with the Supreme Court judgment, the criminal charges cannot proceed again, and that’s the end of it.”

Makanjuola went on to praise the court’s decision, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment that deemed the funds in question to be a source of legitimate and valid commercial transactions.

However, buttressing his claim, the source disclosed that “Makanjuola was never abandoned as he has benefited a lot from Saraki’s benevolent gesture .

” As a deputy chief of staff to Saraki as the president of the 8th Senate, he was in charge of the Senate President’s constituency projects. He enjoyed lots of benefits through the projects, ” a source revealed.

Another source described Makanjuola as an ingrate whose sincerity needed to be questioned.

According to the source, ” from 2019 to 2023 gubernatorial elections, he was deputy governorship candidate of PDP in Kwara, nominated by Saraki. If he had become the deputy governor, would he still claim abandonment? He is an ingrate. ”

The source alleged that PDP’s defeat in the Kwara South Senatorial district seat, previously held by Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, was not unconnected to Makanjuola’s political ambition.

The source claimed that Makanjuola’s promotion of the ‘Igbomina Lokan’ agenda in Irepodun, Ifelodun, and Isin districts alienated the Igbomina people from Senator Ibrahim, contributing to his electoral defeat.

“He went to Irepodun, Ifelodun, and Isin to spread Igbomina Lokan message to Igbomina people, which made the Igbomina people turn their backs against Senator Rafiu and subsequently cost PDP to lose Kwara South Senatorial district seat,” the source stated.

National pilot recalled that Makanjuola announced his resignation in a letter dated July 30, 2024, addressed to the Chairman of the PDP in his Omu-Aran Ward 1, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. The letter, which was also copied to the Local Government Chairman and the State Chairman of the PDP, did not specify the reasons for his departure.

As the fallout from Makanjuola’s resignation continues to unfold, the internal dynamics of the Kwara PDP remain in flux, with party members and supporters eagerly watching for the next developments.