Wilfred Eya

Yesterday, the Kwara State government finally destroyed the ‘political home of the Sarakis’ in Illorin, the state capital, for “flagrant abuse of the allocation terms.” The home which is called the ‘Ile Arúgbó’ has been a subject of controversy for some time but was eventually demolished in the early hours of yesterday, January 2, 2020 after security operatives dispersed protesters, including aged women, from within the complex.

The state government allegedly fixed midnight for the demolition exercise to avoid a clash with Saraki’s loyalists who reportedly had been keeping watch on the complex.

The land, the state government said, was originally designated for the construction of a secretariat and parking lot of the civil service clinic, but that it was unlawfully allocated to a private firm — Asa Investments Limited — without any record of payment to the state government.

In its reaction through the state commissioner for Communications, Malam Murtala Olanrewaju, the state government confirmed the reclamation of the land in the early hours of Thursday, explaining that the “action was carried out in the early hours to avoid any needless confrontation.”

“Attempts by some persons to provoke government agents on lawful duty were resisted by the security agents who exercised the highest level of restraint and professionalism,” the commissioner said in a statement in Ilorin.

“Contrary to the claim that the state government was served court papers on the matter,we state that no court papers has been served as at the time the government took the steps to preserve what lawfully belongs to the people,” he added.

The government appealed to the people of the state to remain calm, peaceful and be guided only by facts of the matter and not to be drawn into what is targeted at distracting the public from the issues at stake.

But in her own reaction, Minister of State, Transport, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, through her Special Assistant, Titilope Anifowoshe, renamed her movement to ‘GRS-Oloye’ in perceived solidarity with the Saraki family despite the assumed disagreement with her elder brother, Dr Bukola Saraki over the years.

The minister’s statement read in part: “so many things have happened this year; in fact right up to the very dying hours of the year, but we will continue to take brave and faithful steps.

“We have a history and we are proud of that history, may Allah forgive the sins of all our dearly departed and may He make us worthy representatives of all that they stood for,” she added.

Many believe that with the development, it is no more contestable that  a major political crisis is brewing in Kwara State and two major power blocs are involved. On one side is the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and on the other is the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki. The cold war which started after the 2019 general election is threatening to boil over. The latest bone of contention is the revocation and demolition of the property belonging to late Olusola Saraki, the father of Senator Bukola who also was governor of the state between 2003 and 2011 by the Kwara State government.

For obvious reasons, the unfolding battle has become a source of concern to political watchers, especially stakeholders in the state who believe that it has the potential to cause disaffection among the people irrespective of their party affiliation.

Last week Friday, the Kwara State government, had in a statement, claimed that the said 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.

The statement, which was signed by Rafiu Ajakaiye, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, also claimed that Certificate of Occupancy was never issued in favour of the firm.

“Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has signed a constitutional instrument withdrawing the allocation of plots of land 1, 3 and 5 to the firm, asserting that the said land was unlawfully appropriated contrary to the purpose for which it was meant.

“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 Asa Investment Limited, even though the land was meant for public use,” part of the statement read.

In many quarters, the contention is that the governor has adopted a vindictive political approach to the Saraki dynasty since assumption of office and it appears he has made up his mind to fight and ridicule those who he believes are his “perceived political enemies”.

Many recall that the governor’s father and Olusola Saraki, the immediate past Senate President’s father were sworn enemies in politics and the recent action by Governor AbdulRazaq may not be unconnected with the age long rivalry between the two elite families.

But critical observers argue that the governor should get down to work and not get involved in unnecessary politics as his achievements in his first term are what would speak for him when he would go for re-election.

Many believe that his decision to revoke and further demolish the property belonging to late Olusola Saraki who is considered a benefactor to many politicians in the state may end up pitching him against majority of Kwara people.

“Whether he likes it or not, the name Saraki remains a force to reckon with in Kwara State. The people may not like Bukola but at the same time, the governor can never rubbish the name of their father. The family has paid its dues in Kwara State. This battle that the governor has started will make the people of the state to rise against him” , said a top politician in Kwara who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Even outside the state, the land revocation had been generating reactions. The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) for instance,  slammed the governor’s decision to revoke the ownership of the property.

The forum in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos, by its National President, Yerima Shettima, said that the brazen use of force by Governor AbdulRazaq to hijack the property of the late politician is a total disregard to the Saraki’s family and an insult on the people of Kwara State.

While noting that the move has potentials to destroy the legacies of “a politician who gave his all to make Kwara what it is today”, the forum stated that, “we take exception to the deployment of the powers of the state in a desperate move that smacks of political vendetta and failed attempt to rewrite history.

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It maintained that, “If the incumbent governor thinks he could destroy the late Saraki’s legacies as a political gimmick of winning public sympathy, he is making a fatal mistake.”

The forum urged the late Saraki’s family to use all available legal and constitutional backing to fight for their cause and advised the incumbent governor to bear in mind that power is transient.

A lawyer and public affairs analyst,  Adebayo Dada said: “It is obvious that the Mohammed Lawal elements have hijacked the government and are exacting revenge for perceived wrong of 2003.  Is the Location good for secretariat?  Is the new secretariat built by Governor Fatai put to use?”

“Recent Government statement that some government agencies operated from rented apartments is false. No government agencies operate from rented apartments. So no new secretariat needed.

“The Governor said recently that 70 per cent of the state fund goes into payment of salaries; that means 30% is left for running of government business and infrastructure development. Based on this statement and coupled with new minimum wages that will take salary payment to 85%, he is not ready to increase percentage going into salaries.

“The governor said the state is suffering from serious infrastructure deficits, especially roads; can’t money meant to build the new secretariat be chanelled into constructing roads across the state, especially in Kwara North and South.”

Reacting earlier before the demolition, the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki said the action of AbdulRazaq against his family, especially his late father, showed his lack of sense of history.

Saraki accused him of setting out only to fight his family,  and reasoned that the governor has crossed the line of decency with his efforts to erase the legacies of his late father.

He pointed out that the war of attrition waged against the legacy of his father and everything that belongs to the late politician simply portrayed the governor as “a man who lacks the sense of history and set out only to fight the Saraki family but not to serve the interest of Kwarans”.

Saraki had observed: “The property was allocated to my late father under the name of one of his companies, Asa Investment Limited, and contrary to the claim of the governor, the land was properly allocated and a Right of Occupancy title issued on it. It should be noted that the excuse given by Abdulrazaq in his revocation order holds no water since it is clear that this is the height of his vengeance against my father, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki and I.

“Till today, many Kwarans have been wondering what problem the governor has with the late Oloye Abubakar Olusola Saraki or what the late politician did to offend him. It is surprising that of all vacant plots of land in strategic places across Ilorin Township, the one that Abdulrahman found useful for his vengeful plan is the one owned by late Dr. Saraki. It is beyond comprehension why a governor would set as his main agenda the objective of undermining and waging a war of attrition against a man who is no longer around.”

He also alleged that since the outcome of the elections in March, despite the fact that there are clear grounds to challenge the results in court, he had decided to demonstrate maturity, statesmanship and sportsmanship.

“I should let it be known that if Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq thinks he is taking all these actions to get at me, he is only deceiving himself. There is no basis for competition between us. Our paths cannot cross because the status that he is struggling to attain, Almighty Allah has given it to me many years before now.

“However, his open antagonism against my late father and his legacies is unwarranted and will not be tolerated. He has definitely gone beyond bounds as he cannot be allowed to ride roughshod on the deceased. In this war against my late father, he will not win.

“This Governor has shown that he is not a man who wants peace, co-operation and development. He believes that a constant attack on my family and I is all that he needs to win the hearts of Kwara people. The need to provide good governance is secondary to him”, he added.

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara State had before the demolition said the revocation of the land belonging to the late icon of Kwara politics, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki by the state government is an error that is capable of causing a future crisis in the state.

The PDP in a statement signed by its state Chairman, Kola Shittu, said that the revocation of the land ‘Ile Arugbo’ is a further demonstration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s vendetta mission against the Saraki family.

The party noted that the action of the governor does not in any way reflect the interest of Kwarans adding that such move was capable of creating rivalry and crisis among people of Ilorin in particular and the State in general.

“The Kwara PDP maintains that there is no basis or justification for the Kwara State Government to revoke the land which was duly acquired many years ago by the late Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki. This is a great error on the part of Governor Abdulrazaq and a greater disservice to the memory of Baba Oloye who during his lifetime, made sacrifices and contributions to the development of not only Ilorin Emirate but Kwara as a whole and even beyond.”

In the public domain, there are also allegations that the governor is not enjoying the best of relationships with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who is believed to have contributed immensely to his election.

After his swearing-in, Governor AbdulRazaq was alleged to have decided to assume the leadership position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, on the basis that he is the Chief Executive of the state and thus should automatically be the party’s leader.

The governor’s opponents also argue that since his emergence, he has sidelined members of the party’s state executives, carrying out policies without recourse to the party that got him to office through the ‘o to ge’ movement.

They also allege that  apart from sidelining the party’s executives in respect of funding, the governor was alleged to have single-handedly nominated all the Commissioners and Special Advisers, without recourse to the party’s hierarchy.

In order to take full control of the party’s leadership, the governor is also alleged to be plotting the removal of  the APC chairman in the state, Bashir Bolarinwa, and to replace him with one of his loyalists.

However, critical observers believe the governor is doing all that to ensure that he controls the power structure in the state to make it easy for his re-election.