Bizarre:  Kwara APC transition c’ttee demands handover notes from legislature, judiciary

The 80-member Transition Committee (TC) set up by the Kwara State Governor-elect, Alhaji AbdurRahman AbdulRazaq has reportedly attracted the wrath of critical sectors in the state over what has been described as bizarre demand for the handover notes from the legislative and judicial arms of government, National Pilot can report.
The letters to this effect were written to the legislative and judicial arms of government signed by the chairmen of the committee who is an alumnus of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru, Aminu Adisa Logun.
Other officials include Chief James Bamisaiye Ayeni who is the deputy chairman while a one-time Permanent Secretary and former Clerk of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Muhammad Razaq Umar is the Secretary.
But the request has attracted condemnation from high quarters with the accusation that the committee with its recent action is approaching the assignment with a vindictive approach despite the fact that it lacked the jurisdiction to do so.
One of such letters sent to the Kwara State House of Assembly which was signed by the committee’s chairman was read at the floor of the House on Wednesday during plenary.
Members who spoke on the issue expressed strong reservations concerning the letter demanding for handover notes from the legislators.
They seriously frowned at the step despite having former parliamentarians as members of the committee who could have been consulted for informed decision on such gross abuse of rules and regulations concerning their mandate.
The House however set-up a 3-man committee to liaise with the transition committee on the letter to the House requesting for handing over report.
The 3-man committee which is headed by Hon Kamal Fagbemi (Oke-Ogun constituency) has Hon Felicia Ebun Owolabi (Ekiti constituency) and Hon Ahmed Ibn Mohammed (Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe constituency) as members.
The committee, according to the Speaker of the House, Dr. Ali Ahmad is to interface with the House on the essence of the letter given the fact that the legislature is not an Executive arm of government.
It was learnt that similar letter was written to the Judiciary for the same purpose
The Chief Registrar of the Kwara State judiciary, Olalekan Adegbite who confirmed the development to this reporter last night in a telephone chat said the Chief Justice of the state, Sulyman Durosinlohun Kawu is not around.
“I have not seen the letter, they wrote to the CJ who has been out of town for a while now”, he added.
Efforts to reach the chairman of the committee was unsuccessful last night as call to hi telephone were not answered.
The Governor-elect recently made the announcement of the committee in a statement issued in Ilorin, the state capital by his media aide, Rafiu Ajakaye.
Some of the former lawmakers included in the committee were former PDP chairmen, Iyiola Oyedepo who was one-time House Chief Whip, former Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Ezekiel Issa Benjamin and Elder Wole Oke among others
Meanwhile, Kwara State House of Assembly has called on the State Government to liaise with the Federal Government to expedite action on the establishment of Army Barracks in Kaiama Local Government Area of the State to check activities of bandits.
This was parts of the resolutions of the House on a motion on the resurgence of banditry in Kaiama moved by Hon. Ahmed Ibn Mohammed representing Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe Constituency.
The House, according to the resolution read by the Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad also called on the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Environment to reduce the size of the over 43,000 sqm forest in the town by allocating part of it for farming.
The lawmakers also called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to extend the ban on illegal mining to Kaiama/Baruten axis of the state to reduce infiltration of miners and criminals in the area.
The state legislature also called on the State Government to intervene in the security of lives and property in the area.
The Ali Ahmad led legislature advised the traditional institution in the state to be vigilant, especially with the influx of strangers into their different communities.