Your allegation of N11.9b looting, preposterous, unfounded – ex-Gov Ahmed’s aide tackles AbdulRazaq
…challenges Kwara Gov to account for over N.3trn revenues
By Jimoh Sulyman
Kwara state Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been tackled by an aide to former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Wahab Oba over the governor’s recent allegation of looting of over #11.9billion against the immediate past administration of the state.
Oba who was the chief Press Secretary to Governor Ahmed described the Governor’s allegations against his Principal as being preposterous, naive unspecific and unfounded, explaining that every expenditure during their administration were properly appropriated and followed due process.
He said that, “The allegations are preposterous, naive unspecific and generally unfounded. Every expenditure during the period under review was properly appropriated and followed due process. If there were infractions as alleged, there are laid down procedures for correction.”
He noted further that the Governor’s claim which is coming six months to the election is an afterthought and politically motivated.
“Since we left office more than three years ago, the accounts have been properly audited by various auditing agencies and had been certified. Any query now, six months to election, on the legality or otherwise of the expenditure, are after thought and politically motivated.”
Oba also challenged the Governor to account for over N.3trillion his administration has gotten since its inception without commensurate infrastructural development ,rather than embarking on what he described as a “political vendetta”.
He said, “Rather than search for what is not lost or embark on political vendetta, this Government should account for more than N.3trillion accruing to it in the last three years without commensurate infrastructural development.”
The media practitioner while bemoaning the state’s debt profile under the incumbent government which he described as unprecedented in the history of the state, queried the Governor’s rationale for taking those loans.
“The debt profile of this government is unprecedented in the history of Kwara State. As at today, Kwara State is paying not less than N1.3billion monthly as interest on various largely unaccounted for loans.
“As recently confirmed by His Excellency, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in his guided chat with his media agents, N17billion out of N27billion bond is “sitting in a bank” while the state continues to pay interest on it. This raises a lot of questions as to the reason the bond was taken in the first place.” He said.
Oba in the other part of his statement questioned the Governor’s adherence to due process in approving various contracts and expenditure asking him to tell Kwarans when last the State Executive Council meeting was held.
“The Governor should tell Kwarans when last he held a State Executive Council meeting to approve various contracts and other expenditures.” he said.
