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Tag: Bukola Saraki

  • Saraki kicks as EFCC urges final forfeiture of Ikoyi properties

    Saraki kicks as EFCC urges final forfeiture of Ikoyi properties

    Immediate past Senate president, Dr. Bukonla Saraki on Thursday, opposed an application before a Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking final forefeitrue of two of his Ikoyi, properties.

    The said properties are located at 17 and 17A McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Economic and Financial Ctimes Cimmission (EFCC) had obtained an interim order of forfeiture on the properties in November 2019.

    Justice Mohammed Liman had then adjourned the case for any interested party to appear and show cause why a permanent order should not be made.

    The court had also ordered that the interim order be published in a national newspaper to alert such interested parties.

    EFCC applied to court to forfeit the properties to the government, on the grounds that they were obtained with loans from GTBank and repaid back with Kwara State fund.

    Saraki’s counsel,Mr Kehinde Ogunwunmiju,SAN, informed the court that he was already a succussful businessman with properties worldwide before he became senator.

    He said that the EFCC must satisfy the court that such properties formed part of proceeds of any unlawful act by the respondent.

    Respondent’s Counsel informed the court that both the interim and the attempted permanent forfeiture of the two properties was an abuse of court process.

    Counsel further argued that the EFCC was also estopped from re-litigating on the same properties because it had litigated on same before the Code of Conduct Tribunal ( CCT ) up to the Supreme Court but lost.

    He said that Justice Taiwo Taiwo had made an order restraining EFCC from filing such a case adding that the order was still subsisting.

    Meanwhile some of the facts presented by the EFCC before the court are that Saraki while serving as Governor of Kwara, was deducting N100 million from security votes to defray the loan.

    EFCC counsel, Mr Nnaemeka Omenwa argued that the Judgment of the CCT dismissing the case, did not vest property right on Saraki.

    He urged the court not to be persuaded by the arguemnt of counsel but hold in favour of applicant.

    Liman has adjourned untill April 24 for judgment.

  • More troubles for Saraki as Kwara Govt seizes another property

    The Kwara State Government has taken over a piece of land owned by the Saraki Family in Ilorin. It will be used for a new secretariat for civil servants.

    Chief Press Secretary to Kwara Governor, Rafiu Ajakaiye announced the decision Friday.

    Ajakaiye said the land was originally meant for Government Secretariat and parking space of the Civil Service Clinic, but was unlawfully allocated to a private firm, Asa Investments Limited, without any record of payment to the state government.

    Part of the land, situated beside the Civil Service Clinic, is also right in front of late Dr Olusola Saraki’s residence.

    The senior Saraki built a house and named it ‘Ile Arugbo’ (elderly peoples’ home).

    According to the statement, no certificate of occupancy was issued in favour of Asa Investments Limited.

    The statement explained that the government has now made provisions for the secretariat in the 2020 budget, although its construction will spill over to 2021.

    “Hundreds of civil servants still operate from rented apartments at a huge cost to the government.

    “The new secretariat, once completed in 2021, will definitely go a long way to end this unhealthy trend as well as provide a more conducive and decent working environment for government workers,” the statement added.

    Ajakaiye added that Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has signed an instrument withdrawing the allocation of plots of land 1, 3 and 5 to the firm.

    He said that the said land was unlawfully appropriated contrary to the purpose for which it was meant.

    The spokesman added that the governor’s decision followed a resolution of the State House of Assembly urging him to reclaim the land because it was arbitrarily taken over in the 1990s without any evidence of payment by the company, even though the land was meant for public use.

    The governor noted in the revocation order that the land was originally meant for the construction of another phase of the Kwara State Civil Service Secretariat and a parking space for both the civil service clinic and the secretariat.

    The revocation order read: “In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) 1999 and Section 1 and 28 of the Land Use Act Cap. L.5 of 2004 and all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Governor of Kwara State of Nigeria, give the following notice:

    “The Notice may be cited as the Land Use (Revocation of Right of Occupancy and withdrawal of allocation) Notice, 2019.

    “Allocation of plots of land 1, 3 and 5 TPS/MISC 129 to Asa Investment (Nig) Ltd. which is meant for the Kwara State Secretariat.

    “The land, specifically and more described in survey No. KwSH 927 and Land/G1071 situated and lying beside Civil Service Clinic on Ilofa Road Ilorin, Kwara State, is hereby revoked and withdrawn for overriding public interest for use of the purpose it is originally meant for:

    “The construction of Kwara State Secretariat; parking space for civil service clinic and the Kwara State Secretariat and annex to the Civil Service when upgraded to a hospital.

    “That the plots allocated are hereby declared void. Notice is therefore given to you, Asa Investments Nigeria Limited, that the plots of land 1, 3 and 5 TPS/MISC 129 allocated to you and any title on the land whatsoever are hereby revoked and the allocation is withdrawn for overriding public interest,” it read in part.

  • Bukola Saraki’s club goes on indefinite break

    The management of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) FC of Ilorin has approved an indefinite break for staff, players and technical crew of the club.
    The Club’s Director of Football, Alloy Chukwuemeka, made this known after a meeting with the players, technical crew and staff of the team on Tuesday in Ilorin.
    Chukwuemeka said that the administrative staff and officials of the youth team would continue to work until the Nigeria National League (NNL) announced a new resumption date for the 2019/2020 season.
    He thanked the players for the spirit they showed during the season in spite of the fact that the squad consisted of young promising players.
    Chukwuemeka who gave updates on players of the club going abroad and local clubs assured players and officials that the club would not stand on their ways.
    He regretted the inability of the club to get a playoff ticket and promised that the club would bounce back in the next season.

  • Breaking: Nigerians react as NASS releases ‘details’ of its 2018 budget

    The National Assembly (NASS) has published details of its 2018 budget, fulfilling the promise of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Saraki had promised details of NASS 2018/19 budgets would be made public.

    He made the promise at a dialogue session with BudgIT on appropriation process and constituency projects, while vowing that #OpenNASS is now a permanent policy.

    According to NASS, publishing details of the 2018 budget is in accordance with the commitment of the leadership of the 8th @NASSNigeria to accountability and transparency.

    SEE details of the NASS 2018 budget details below

    NASS 2018 budget details
    NASS 2018 budget details

    However, while the NASS has been commended for publishing the budget details, the budget has been criticised as incomplete.

    “Please kindly note Bukola Saraki that we appreciate this, but it is incomplete. I guess it must be an error of omission.

    “Kindly do the needful and send us a real budget with all the figures to the note to the budget clearly stated,” Abdulhakeem Shittu stated on Twitter.

    A Twitter user by the handle @gambuskay queried, “Is this what you people tag ‘detail of NASS budget’?”

    He added, “I am not sure we are ready in this country. Shame on you all that think Nigerians are fools.

    “Detail budget should tell us how much each member takes as salary, allowances, local or int’l training etc”.

    Similar reactions have also greeted the budget details released by the NASS.

    SEE tweets below

    https://twitter.com/tirimisiyu2013/status/1116687514100801539?s=19

     

  • Saraki’s sister, Gbemisola apologises to Kwarans on national TV, says ‘My brother failed you’

    Saraki’s sister, Gbemisola apologises to Kwarans on national TV, says ‘My brother failed you’

    The younger sister of Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s Senate President, Gbemisola Saraki, caused a stir on national television (TV Continental) when she apologised to Kwarans for her brother’s alleged abysmal performance while in office as governor of the state.

    The younger Saraki criticized her brother’s performance and asked for forgiveness from Kwarans while appearing at TVC’s”Your View” on Thursday.

    Recall that Saraki lost his bid to return to the Senate and may not be active politically for the next four years if the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, whom he supported does not succeed in his bid to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari’s electoral victory.

    Atiku lost to Buhari at the last presidential polls but is challenging the victory in court.

    The Saraki dynasty in Kwara since 1979 has produced six governors from the time of late Olusola Saraki who is the father of the Senate President.

    The Saraki structure was strong force that except you aligned with it politically, you were not likely to succeed as a politician in Kwara State.

    The Senate President was elected governor of Kwara in 2003 through the help of his father.

    After his tenure, he refused to support the candidature of his sister, Gbemisola. Instead, he supported the incumbent governor, Ahmed Abdulfatai, who floored his sister against the will of his father.

    In the build-up to the 2015 election, Saraki joined other aggrieved governors of the PDP to form the nPDP. The nPDP would later join other parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    That did not affect his control of the Kwara’s political machinery as Saraki’s new party, APC, won the 2015 general elections in Kwara.

    He began to face challenges after the 2015 elections when he defied the APC, to emerge the Senate President, working in cahoots with PDP lawmakers.

    He, eventually, left the APC for the PDP in 2018 and sought the presidential ticket of the latter. He lost at the primary to Atiku.

    Saraki was floored in the last elections. While the Senate President failed to deliver to PDP in the the presidential, national assembly and governorship election, he also lost his re-election to the Senate.

    With the magic of the political slogan, “Oto ge” (enough is enough), the PDP lost in all the 2019 elections in Kwara.

    Reacting to the development, Gbemisola Saraki, herself a former senator, said she was disappointed with the way her brother governed the state.

    “I am disappointed that Bukola Saraki did not do well when he was a governor in Kwara State having studied in the United Kingdom. Bukola and I studied in the United Kingdom, he knows all the good things in the United Kingdom. We think (thought) he should (would) reciprocate that in Kwara when he became the Governor but he failed them.

    “Even as a Senate President, he has not carried the people of Kwara along. I am not happy the way my brother served Kwarans.”

    She appealed to the newly elected state governor, Abdurahman Abdurazaq, to give her the “opportunity to correct the family wrong to avoid nemesis”.

    “I just want the governor elect to give me a chance to serve the people of Kwara. Just to say we are sorry. I don’t need appointment. Nemesis will catch up. I don’t want nemesis to catch up on my children, my grandchildren or upon myself. That’s why I am saying the truth now.”

  • Saraki expresses disappointment over low voters’ turn-out

    Saraki expresses disappointment over low voters’ turn-out

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has expressed disappointment over low turn-out of voters in the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state.

    The senate president, while casting his vote on Saturday at his Ajikobi ward, Opobiyi polling units 005, said the turn-out was not impressive compared to the presidential and national assembly elections on Feb. 23.

    Bukola, who arrived at his polling unit at exactly 11:08 a.m. in a blue caftan, with a cap to match, said the turn-out was low.

    He said he had been inundated with too many reports of military deployment in the state which could be the reason for the low turn-out.

    Commenting on card readers, the senate president said he had not received any reports of malfunctioning of the gadgets.

    He added that since the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had insisted on the use of card readers, there must have been an improvement.

  • Why Saraki lost senatorial seat – Kwara senator-elect

    Mallam Sadiq Umar, the senator-elect for Kwara North Senatorial District, says Senate President Bukola Saraki lost his senatorial seat because he was no longer connected with the electorate.

    Umar said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ilorin.

    The senator-elect, who was reacting to the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, said Saraki’s political relevance had always been overrated.

    He said that the senate president was able to hold the state in his grips for so long because elections had always been rigged in his favour.

    According to him, Kwara has suffered a protracted leadership problem and now they have the opportunity to speak out loudly.

    “The victory is an anticipated one and we are very happy about it. Everybody is very happy because it was a very free and fair election.

    ” Kwarans are very clear; enough is enough. They have not had a good leader and those who are ruling Kwara are not giving the best of leadership to the people.

    “So the people want a change and we are very happy the electorate have spoken very loudly that they are with APC and all candidates of APC won the elections from Presidential to National Assembly members,’’ he said.

    Umar described the development as a new dawn for Kwara, saying all what the citizens had been deprived would be given to them.

    “Kwara will see development in infrastructure, employment, empowerment, prompt payment of salary and improvement in salary among others,’’ he said.

    He urged the citizens to keep faith with the party and the newly elected representatives, assuring that they would not fail the people.

    “My message to them is that there is hope for them. We will never fail them.

    “We are aware of the nascent experience in Nigeria, particularly in Kwara. We just have to deliver the goods to the people of Kwara or else there will be a judgment day.

    “We are aware of that. We are responsible citizens who came into politics for the purpose of serving our people.

    “We are very grateful that they kept the faith. They promised they will support us and they did it overwhelmingly.

    “We are going to pay them back with good governance and the best service we can render to them.

    “So there is hope in Kwara, particularly in Kwara North that is backward in everything.

    “We need to speed and catch up as soon as we can,’’ said the newly elected senator.

  • Breaking: Saraki convenes Senate after losing re-election bid, adjourns immediately

    After losing re-election bid into the Nigerian Senate, Senate President Bukola Saraki today lead other principal officers of the red chamber to reconvene a new legislative day.

    However, the sitting was short-lived as Senate Leader moves that all items on the order paper be stood down to another legislative day.

    This is following Senator Andrew Uchendu’s motion for the approval of votes and proceedings of Thursday, 24th January 2019.

    Recall the National Assembly, which last month adjourned plenary to Tuesday, February 19, had shifted the resumption of plenary by one week to February 26th.

    While Senator Olusola Adeyeye seconded motion for the approval of votes and proceedings of Thursday, 24th, Minority Leader seconded that plenary be adjourned to Tuesday 12 March 2019.

    Meanwhile, Saraki has officially wished the candidates who emerged from the election the best of luck, according to a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu.

    The statement reads: “Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has stated that in spite of the reported inadequacies that attended last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in Kwara State, he is wishing the candidates who emerged from the election the best of luck.

    “Dr. Saraki in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu stated that while the election was generally peaceful there were inadequacies like the card readers not used in over 70 percent of the polling units while there was also multiple-voting, over-voting and other discrepancies that were reported by agents of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) across the state. He added that the state chapter of his party will take a position on the right response to these inadequacies.

    “However, whatever the final outcome of the election, I wish the candidates that have emerged all the best in their attempts to serve our people. It is my prayer that the good people of Kwara State will always have the best from any government both at the state and federal levels.

    “As a product of a family and a political structure that is, from its foundation, devoted to the service and development of our state and its people, it is my wish that our people will always have a good deal at all times. The new development will even provide the people the opportunity to compare and contrast. After all, the people who have emerged from last Saturday’s election are not my enemies. They are fellow Kwarans.

    “As we prepare for the March 9th, 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, let me reiterate my position that the candidates of the PDP in the election represent the best materials for our dear State, Kwara. Therefore, I enjoin our people to come out en masse on Election Day and vote for them. I am going to work with our party leaders to further sell the PDP candidates to the general public.

    “I thank all Nigerians for their goodwill and to enjoin all of us that as we patiently await the outcome of the Presidential election, we pray for peace, unity and genuine development in our country. It is also our prayers that at all times, the wish of the people will always prevail in the choice of the leadership and the electorate will always enjoy the benefit of good governance”.

     

  • Election: Saraki denies congratulating APC senator-elect

    Election: Saraki denies congratulating APC senator-elect

    Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has denied reports that Saraki congratulated APC senator-elect, Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oloriegbe, the APC candidate, who contested against Saraki in the Saturday National Assembly election, won the Kwara Central Senatorial District.

    Olaniyonu in a statement on Monday urged party supporters to disregard the report which claimed Saraki conceded defeat to Oloriegbe.

    He said:“The position of the Saraki camp will be communicated to the public later today (Monday).’’

    “The public should disregard any fictitious statements being issued and shared on WhatsApp. Our position on the election will be communicated later today.

    “In the interim, the APC should stop issuing statements congratulating itself and ascribing it to our camp,’’ he said.

  • Buhari appoints 3 career ambassadors

    Buhari appoints 3 career ambassadors

    President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed three career ambassadors from Delta, Benue and Yobe states.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Senate President Bukola Saraki made this known during plenary on Tuesday.

    The Senate President read a letter from Buhari on the appointment of the three career ambassadors.

    Buhari had appointed UK Deputy High Commissioner, Ambassador Kabiru Bala as new Nigerian envoy to South Africa with concurrent accreditation to Swaziland and Lesotho.

    Ambassador Bala, who assumed office in the UK two years ago, received his letter of credence confirming his new appointment on Monday in Abuja.

    Sarah Sanda, the official spokeswoman for foreign affairs minister Geoffrey Onyeama, said that the new appointment will take immediate effect.

    A career diplomat, Ambassador Bala joined the Nigerian Foreign Service in 1999 and had at different times served in Brazil, Sudan, Gambia, the Netherlands and Thailand.

    He also served in the State House office of the chief of staff to the president, as well as state house protocol.

    Expected to fly out to South Africa immediately, Ambassador Bala will replace Ahmed Ibeto who resigned his appointment in July to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Prior to his appointment, Alhaji Ibeto had been the Deputy Governor of Niger State.