A Non-Governmental Organisation, under the aegis of Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative, has charged the former Kwara State governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, to National Industrial Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital for diverting N252,295,265.00 meant for the state pensioners in the state during his administration.
Saraki who served as the state governor between May 29, 2003 and May 29, 2011, also became a senate president in 2015 to 2019.
In
the Suit No: NICH|IL06/2022 dated September 19, 2022, the claimant,
Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative listed Eptech
Nigeria Limited as 1st defendant; Senator Bokola Saraki as 2nd
defendant; Kwara State governor, AbdulRasaq AbdulRahman as 3rd
defendant; Kwara State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice,
Ibrahim Sulyman, as 4th defendant, Carliste Property and Investment
Limited as 5th defendant.
The
suit read, “LET the 1st ddefendant of No. 12a, Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos
State, 2nd defendant of GRA Area Ilorin, Kwara State; 3rd Defendant of
Governors Office, Ilorin, Kwara State, 4th defendant of Kwara State
Ministry of Justice, Ilorin Kwara State and the 5th defendant of No. 30,
Saka Tinubu Street, Victoria Island, Lagos State within 14days after
service of this summon on them, inclusive of the day of such service,
cause an appearance to be respectively entered for them to this summons
which is issued upon the application of Citizens Awareness Against
Corruption and Social Vices Initiative of c/o, Suite 5, Fate/GSS
Complex, Fate Road, Ilorin, Kwara State, who claim to be entitled to the
reliefs hereunder, for the determination of the following questions:
“1. Whether by the combined provision of Section 2(3) paragraph C (1) of the Third Schedule
of the Governor and Deputy Governor (payment of pension) Law, 2010 (now
repealed), monetization of a five-bedroom duplex stipulated by Law to
the tune of Two Hundred and Fifty Two Million, Two Hundred and Ninety
Five, Two Hundred and Sixty Five Naira (N252,295,265.00) by the 3rd
defendant in favour of the 2nd defendant is not illegal, unlawful, null
and void.
“2.
Whether the payment of the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Two Million,
Two Hundred and Ninety-Five, Two Hundred and Sixty Five Naira
(N252,295,265.00) to the 1st defendant
by the 3rd and 4th defendants pursuant to the Governor and Deputy
Governor (Payment of pension) Law 2010 (now repealed) is not illegal,
unlawful, thanks and void.
“3.
Whether, it is unlawful and illegal for the 1st defendant to collect
the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Two Million, Two Hundred and Ninety
Five, Two Hundred and Sixty Five Naira (N252, 295, 265.00) from the 3rd
and 4th defendants as pension package of the 2nd defendant pursuant ot
the Governor and Deputy Governor (Payment of Pension) Law 2010 without
erecting any building for the 2nd defendant whatsoever, in Kwara State.
“WHEREOF the Claimant seeks the following reliefs:
”1.
A DECLARATION that by the combined provisions of Section 2(3) paragraph
C (1) of the Third Schedule of the Governor and Deputy Governor
(payment of pension) Law, 2010 (now repealed), the monetisation of a
five-bedroom duplex by the 3rd defendant in favour of the 2nd defendant
is illegal, unlawful, nul and void.
“2. A DECLARATION that the payment of the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty-Two Million, Two
Hundred and Ninety Five, Two Hundred and Sixty-Five Naira
(N252,295,265.00) to the 1st Defendant by the 3"' and 4" Defendant si
ilegal, unlawful, nul and void.
”3.
A DECLARATION that it is unlawful and illegal for the 1st defendant to
collect the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty-Two Million, Two Hundred and
Ninety-Five, Two Hundred and Sixty Five Naira (N252,295,265.00) as
pension package of the 2nd Defendant without erecting any building for
the 2nd defendant in Kwara State.
“4.
AN ORDER of this Honorable Court compelling the 1st and 2nd defendants
to immediately forthwith jointly and severally refund the sum of Two
Hundred and Fifty-Two Million, Two Hundred and Ninety-Five, Two Hundred
and Sixty Five Naira (N252,295, 265.00) illegally collected from Kwara
State government to the 3rd and 4th defendants.
The summon was signed by A.B. Adebayo Esq., F.O. Bakare, Esq., S. O. Ibrahim Esq., the Counsels for the claimant, Onlede Olumuyiwa, on September 19, 2022.
While
arguing their point, the claimant’s counsels corroborated that there is
a link among defendants 1, 2 and 5 and that is why it was easy for them
to get the money without appropriate measures on their action.
They
prayed the court to resolve three issues in favour of the Claimant and
against the Defendants; therefore, this Honorable Court is urged to
grant all the reliefs of the Claimant which are to seize the property,
auction it and deposit the proceeds made into the state government’s
coffer.
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