Business
Uncovered: The Multi-billion Naira Looting Game of Bukola Saraki and Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed + The thieving lifestyle of a political godfather and son
Kwarans Groan In Pain While Gov Ahmed And His Gang Get Richer
While most Nigerians quickly put the blame of impoverishing Kwarans on the table of Bukola Saraki, what they are oblivious of is that the Kwara governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed is becoming more dangerous than his benefactor.
Impeccable sources have confirmed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) allegation that Ahmed truly pays Saraki a whopping sum of N100 million every month from the state’s coffers.
In the statement, the PDP stated, “We have noted the desperate bid of the Kwara State government to cover up for Sen. Bukola Saraki in respect of the millions of naira that he draws monthly from the state’s lean treasury in the name of an obnoxious, immoral and insensitive pension law that he enacted for himself while in office.
This latest cover-up has only succeeded in raising more questions than answers. It has also evidently shown that the government’s spin doctors have exhausted their basket of lies – a thing that has become a routine pastimes in the life of the present APC-led administration in Kwara State.
“Arising from the government’s latest official cover-up for Saraki, we raise the following posers:
“If in truth Mr. Bukola Saraki had not demanded for security operatives since he left office three years ago, why then did the speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr. Razaq Atunwa, on Tuesday, 10th September 2013 threaten to sue the IGP for allegedly violating the provisions of Section 2 (3) Paragraph H of the Third Schedule of Kwara State governor and deputy governor (payment of pension) Law 2010 which makes provision for over 10 different security attachés for Bukola Saraki? If the salaries of Bukola Saraki’s retinue of police and SSS security attachés were not being charged on the state meager allocations, why did the Kwara State House of Assembly subsequently pass a resolution describing the alleged withdrawal as ‘unconstitutional, ‘illegal’ and a ‘breach of law’ the legislators validly passed? If the KWSG is denying the assertion of the PDP on the over N100million that Bukola Saraki draws monthly from the public treasury in the name of pension benefit, it is also ready to deny its own speaker who had much earlier admitted that the security operatives are Bukola Saraki’s birthright pursuant to the pension law?
However, assuming for the purpose of argument that what Bukola Saraki takes home monthly is the sum declared by the secretary to the Kwara State Government, the moral question is, why should Bukola Saraki, who only spent eight uneventful and harrowing years in Kwara as a governor be receiving a pension package that triples that of an average permanent secretary that has spent over 30 years in fruitful service to the public? Why should he even draw any pension at all when he enjoys far more perks as a senator currently representing the same state in the National Assembly?
In the same vein, if the government is denying that it built the multi-million naira mansion at No. A1, Museum Street, GRA, Ilorin, which Kwarans now derisively call ‘Bukola Saraki Pension House’, why did the government order the foreign contractors handling the project to raise the fence of the building high up when the whistleblower, Sahara Reporters, sometime in May 2012, unearthed pictures of the innermost parts of the palatial mansion that has become a source of sorrow and regret to thousands of pensioners that pass through that place daily? More questions begging for answers!
Meanwhile, the fact that the government would so easily lie over Mr. Bukola Saraki’s publicly funded security apparatus, his ‘Pension House’ and other perks that he enjoys naturally presupposes that the whole indefensible rejoinder the KWSG gave against the verifiable revelations of the PDP is nothing but a pack of lies. These glaring lies have therefore vitiated all other cover-ups that the government dished out to the public in defense of a man that is currently standing trial in the case of IGP versus Sen. Bukola Saraki (FHC/ABJ/CS/152) for bleeding the state dry while in office and has refused to stop even out of office through his obnoxious pensions!
The fact that the KWSG could lie about the fact of the payment of the insensitive pension benefits of Bukola Saraki with so straight a face, is indicative of the disdain the APC-led government has for truth and facts. By plausible implications, it is also suggestive of the zero respect the government has for Kwarans that are demanding for answers from it in respect of the obnoxious pension law.
Lastly, for the avoidance of doubt, we insist that what the Kwara State Government received in federal allocations for the year 2013 was a total sum of N49,276,022,267.75 as against the N38.7 billion claim made by the government. This is because apart from the Gross Statutory Allocations, the government also received several billions of naira in both Foreign Excess Crude Savings Account and Value Added Tax (VAT) allocations from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). If the government had hoped to sit on these huge funds and get away with it, we ask it to have a rethink for the secret is blown already.
We therefore ask the government to truthfully own up to its incompetence, do the needful by abrogating the obnoxious law as being requested by the overwhelming majority of Kwarans and finish up its remaining months in office to pave way for a more purposeful and truthful government” the state ended.
Despite the denial by the Kwara State governor that they have not built a house for Bukola or given him security as well as eye-popping allowances as pension benefits, we can authoritatively report with documents available that Gov. Ahmed is lying between his teeth.
We can also report without doubt that there is a particular mansion located on Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State, built for Bukola Saraki as his life pension quarters. Proud as ever and demanding the best of life, the senate president turned down the house and requested that Ahmed pays him the equivalent in cash which was promptly done.
As soon as he got the alert, we were reliably informed that Saraki went back to reclaim the house from the state government and no one coughed.
In line with our investigative nature to counter the denial of Gov. Ahmed that there is no bogus pension for Saraki, we can report that on 29th December 2010 Mr. Bukola conniving with his co-corrupt members in the State House of Assembly passed into law a bill that entitled him to these pension benefits:
Accommodation: (i) One residential house each for the governor and deputy at any location of their choice in Kwara State; (ii) One residential house in the Federal Capital Territory for the governor on two consecutive terms.
Annual Vacation: (iii) 30 days’ annual vacation outside Nigeria with 30 days’ estacodes and travel allowances for the governor.
Transport: Travel expenses allowances for the governor. (a) Three cars for the governor and in addition one pilot and two backup cars to be replaced every three years en bloc.
Furniture: Payable every two years en bloc.
Domestic Staff: Cook, steward, gardener and other domestic staff who shall be pensionable.
Medical: Free medical treatment for the governor and deputy governor and members of their immediate families.
Security: To be provided as listed below: Two SSS details for the governor and one female officer, one SSS detail for the deputy governor; eight policemen (one each for house and personal security) for the governor; two policemen (one each for house and personal security) for the deputy governor.
Drivers: Pensionable.
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- Keep a date as we bring to you report and images of the sorry state of Kwara schools, sporting facilities, the rotten multi – million naira Cargo Centre built by the state at the Ilorin International Airport, how Harmony Holdings Ltd owned by Dr. Bukola Saraki took over most of the state properties and other shocking revelations.
Source: TheIcons
NNPCL and Corruption’s Final Throes
By Pius Olasanmi
In the twilight of the Obasanjo administration, when Nigerians were still capable of being outraged, when Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of refineries was a buzzword that still held some mysticism to bamboozle citizens, during a conversation, a certain man said something profound. The man said, “As a businessman, if I were the owner of these refineries, knowing that they are three decades old, I would take the last money I have, hire bulldozers, raze them to the ground, and obtain loans to build new ones.”
When we pressed him further on why he would engage in such waste, he explained that repairing the refineries is the real waste. He explained that even if the TAM were honestly carried out, a thirty-year-old refinery would never compete favourably with a new one that would integrate contemporary technology. Operating at its best, such a refinery would never be comparatively more efficient. It is therefore pointless to have spent another one naira on the refineries at that point.
A few months later, I had a conversation with a then-lawmaker on an entirely different matter. I mentioned that the National Assembly has failed by not crafting legislation that would criminalise and punish public office holders who foist wrong decisions on the country. The logic: a public office holder need not steal to be punished, wrong decisions should attract penalties for an office holder who opts for the worst of all options when there are less injurious ones.
These established premises speak to the ongoing nauseating efforts at revisionism by those who wrecked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its previous iteration, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Notably, this campaign to rewrite history is traceable to Engineer Mele Kolo Kyari, the disgraced immediate past Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL and his hirelings. They have suffocated the news and the public opinion space with even more lies than they spun while in office.
The Saint Kyari campaign is anchored on convincing Nigerians that the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries were fully functional when he was booted out of office. So brazen is the campaign that one of its talking heads challenged the group chief executive officer (GCEO), Engr. Bayo Ojulari, to “inform Nigerians categorically what happened to the functioning refineries he inherited from his predecessor, Engr. Mele Kyari.” The effrontery.
We have not forgotten so soon the charade that followed the baffling claim that Nigeria has spent $2.8 billion on the repair of the refineries, while they are not churning out even a single litre of refined product among them. Saint Kyari and his goons played all manner of tricks, all of which embarrassed President Bola Tinubu, who had counted on ticking off the return to productivity of the refineries as part of his achievements, only to realise that he was deceived into celebrating phantoms. Tragic.
Lest we forget, 200 trucks were arranged as props in a well-directed video clip to celebrate the re-streaming of the Port Harcourt Refinery. The disappointment. Nigerians were to learn from several reports that the Port Harcourt refinery was not producing and was instead using old, stored petroleum products to load trucks. Worse still, the Kyari crew was passing off sanction-tainted Russian-sourced crude oil refined in Malta as locally refined products. More insult was piled on the assault on our collective sensibility with the lies that the Port Harcourt Refinery exported semi-finished products. Brazen.
Meanwhile, Kyari and his hirelings called those who pointed out or protested these glaring scams all manner of names. They hid behind industry technicalities and jargon to create the impression that those of us who knew Nigerians were being robbed did not understand what we were saying. The point remains that a $2.8 billion investment can potentially build a refinery with a capacity of around 100,000 barrels per day (bpd). Of course, the actual capacity of such a refinery will depend on various factors, including the complexity of the refinery, the technology used, and the location. That is the amount that Kyari’s regime at the NNPCL took and did not give Nigerians refined products.
Fast forward to Kyari’s sack and the appointment of Engineer Bayo Ojulari, who has demonstrated that things can indeed be done differently. Kyari’s exit was expectedly followed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) going after him and his associates. The extent of the theft is better understood against the backdrop of N80 billion being found in the bank account of one of his associates. They went on the run.
Perhaps because the EFCC was biding its time on securing international warrants for the arrests of these characters on the lam, they have become emboldened. They have decided to fight back and rewrite the story of their participation in the greatest fraud against Nigerians. Engineer Ojulari’s renewed mindset, which is entrenching a semblance of the transparency Nigerians demand, became their natural target. The demons that once roamed around the corporation came out with malevolence. They started spinning stories of corruption to tarnish the incumbent who refused to hide their crimes. The objective: bring Ojulari down. But alas, he is winning the war as it stands.
His innocence is proven, and it is glaring that those who want him out are mere charlatans who can no longer ply their corrupt wares because of the impact of the new reforms. Corruption in the NNPCL is in its final throes. The fake news being unleashed against the incumbent leadership is akin to corruption’s last kicks as reforms in the sector strangulate it and its practitioners. The reforms must take place in the NNPCL, whether the industry demons like it or not.
As a parting shot, Kyari and his associates would do well to prepare their defence. In addition to accounting for the $2.8 billion they laundered in the name of repairing the moribund refineries, they must also answer for the poor decision to fix that which is irretrievably broken. Awarding contracts for Turn Around Maintenance of 59-year-old refineries that a right-thinking person had suggested should be demolished almost twenty years ago, when they were only 30 years old, is criminal. Trying to deceive Nigerians that the fake repairs worked is treason.
Olasanmi is a public affairs analyst writing from Lagos.
GRANDIS 5STAR LUXURY APARTMENT & SUITES SET TO REDEFINE LIVING IN VICTORIA ISLAND
Set to Rise elegantly against the Lagos skyline, is the Grandis 5Star Luxury Apartment & Suites. According to Adejuwon Ademola, The General Manager of the Development company, it is more than just a residential building
“it’s a lifestyle statement. Standing 17 floors high in the heart of Victoria Island, this revolutionary masterpiece of modern architecture will offer a panoramic 360° view of Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, and Ikoyi, transforming every apartment into an exclusive penthouse experience for the world’s most discerning elite.”
Developed by Dumarco Construction Limited, a globally acclaimed company with decades of delivering complex, high-value projects in the highly regulated petroleum, oil, and gas industries, Grandis 5Star brings unmatched international safety standards, uncompromising quality, and timeless elegance into Nigeria’s luxury property market.
> “When you live in Grandis, you’re not just buying a home—you’re investing in peace of mind, world-class safety, and an effortless luxury experience that will remain pristine for decades,” says Adejuwon A. Ademola, General Manager of Dumarco Construction Limited.
The Gold Standard in Safety and Quality
Dumarco’s roots in the oil and gas sector mean the company operates to some of the strictest safety protocols in the world. Every stage—from conceptualization, design, construction, to long-term maintenance—follows internationally accepted procedures and quality assurance measures. Cutting corners is simply not in Dumarco’s vocabulary.
> “In the oil and gas industry, there’s no room for compromise. We’ve brought that same discipline and zero-tolerance for mediocrity into property development,” says Ademola. “That’s why Grandis will be one of the safest and most enduring residential developments in Nigeria.”
To ensure transparency and prevent (project complacency), Dumarco deliberately separates the developer, contractor, and consultant roles, engaging only the most competent professionals in each respective field. Dumarco’s project team includes globally recognized contractors such as Julius Berger, Cappa & D’Alberto, and Elalan, Migliore Construczione & Tecniche (MC&T) and their partners VENCO IMTIAZ CONTRACTING COMPANY (VICC) based in Dubai, UAE, Business Contracting Limited, alongside leading consultants like Morgan Omanitan & Abe, LAMBERT, and James Cubitt.
Grandis – Investments, appreciation, returns and profitability
Our selection process for the location of the project alone was pains-taking and completely thorough scientific process. Top professional companies were employed to conduct a scientific data acquisition and analytical survey of the entire Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki and Eko Atlantic before a project site is selected. Analyzing and acquiring areas developmental charts and trends, studying and gathering historical and present sale prices, rental charge and occupancy rates over a 50 year period from every individual street before the selection of the location of any of our developments especially true for the Grandis Project
He adds,
“Our clients and residents can be rest assured that the location of Grandis has been scientifically proven through all existing data to provide our clients with a 100% occupancy rate, highest developmental location, highest rental income and investment returns. ”
The Grandis Experience
Located minutes away from international corporate headquarters, embassies, and landmarks such as Eko Hotel, Radisson Blu, and the Radisson Red, Grandis offers unmatched convenience for professionals, diplomats, and high-net-worth individuals. Every residence is designed for both indulgence and efficiency, with high-grade finishes, smart-home systems, and private amenities that ensure seamless living.
From sunrise over the Atlantic to the glittering Lagos night skyline, residents will enjoy uninterrupted luxury, supported by discreet and highly trained staff, advanced security systems, and a design that prioritizes comfort and privacy.
> “We designed Grandis for people who want everything—security, elegance, convenience, and the assurance that their home will look as spectacular in 20 years as it does on day one,” Ademola notes.
A Legacy That Lasts
With its combination of visionary architecture, peerless safety, and meticulous maintenance planning, Grandis is built to remain iconic for generations. Thanks to Dumarco’s meticulous approach, the building’s service charges are expected to remain low while its value and appeal continue to appreciate over time.
In a market often marred by shortcuts and substandard practices, Mr Ademola says
Grandis stands as a beacon of what luxury living should be—safe, spectacular, and built to last.
“Grandis 5Star Luxury Apartment & Suites — Where safety meets sophistication, and every detail is designed for a life well-lived.”
He added
Website -www.dumarcoltd.com
Project website – www.26idowutaylor.com
Email [email protected]
Tel / WhatsApp +234 9077777883
GM – Adejuwon A. Ademola
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