6th October, 2019
The Kwara State House of Assembly has said it directed the seizure of one of the properties allegedly acquired by the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki because there was no evidence of payment.
The assembly also stated that the property which is Alimi Chalet and an expanse of land, popularly called ‘Ile Arugbo’ belonged to the state government.
Ibrahim Sheriff, Special Assistant to the Speaker of the Assembly, said the allocation of the property to Saraki by the last administration was a “violent violation” of the Kwara State Former Governor’s Pension Law 2010, as amended, which had already taken care of him (Saraki).
The state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Kola Shittu, described the legislature’s action as “ill-conceived, malicious and another indication that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is out on a vendetta mission.”
But, the Assembly in a statement titled, ‘Our position on the seizure of Alimi Chalet, Saraki’s House’, said there was evidence the property was illegally acquired.
The statement indicated, “The Ile Arugbo had been erected on land originally meant for the expansion of the Civil Service Clinic and Phase II of the State Government Secretariat without any evidence that anyone paid a dime to the government for the land.
“The noise surrounding the affected property is politically motivated, as other public property unlawfully acquired are also being looked into.
“We dare say that allowing impunity to stand, no matter who is affected and how long it has taken place, is a disservice to the state and its people.
“Apart from the fact that the purported sale of the Alimi Chalet did not conform to the Kwara State former Governors’ Pension Law 2010, as amended, which incidentally was the brainchild of Saraki, we contend that there is no record anywhere that Saraki paid a dime to have the property transferred to him. The transfer only fits into what the late Fela Anikulapo called ‘paddy-paddy’ arrangement.”