Kwara Poly Never Funded Saraki’s Political Campaigns – KWSG

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

The Kwara state government has
clarified that the management of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin had never funded the Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s political campaigns.

The state government described rumours milling the round that the institution funded Saraki’s previous political campaigns as false and illogical.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the state commissioner for Tertiary Education, Barrister Abdullahi Alikinla, the government also denied claims that a former chairman of the institution’s Governing Council contributed funds to the Senate President’s electioneering campaign in 2011.

It clarified that “there is no record of any such transaction in the state government’s or the institution’s records neither is there any record of an approval by any organ or official of the institution to that effect.”

The state government further absolved Saraki of any involvement in the planned appointment of a new Rector for the Polytechnic and the Vice-Chancellor for Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete .

Dismissing the claims as outright falsehood, the statement stressed that only the Executive Governor of the state, Alh Abdulfatah Ahmed has the authority to make such appointments.

It said the recruitment of the new heads for the institutions will follow due process such as advertisement of vacancies three months to the expiration of tenure, followed by the selection process after which the Governor will approve the appointment on the Governing Council’s recommendation.

It added that “in line with this procedure, the process for the recruitment of a new rector for Kwarapoly commenced on Monday, 25th March 2019 with the advertisement of the vacancy in newspapers. The vacancy was advertised as the incumbent’s tenure expires next June.

“As governance abhors a vacuum, the administration started the recruitment in line with due process even though its tenure is ending.
As the tenure of the current Vice Chancellor of KWASU ends next July, the recruitment of his replacement is yet to commence.”

On the issue of funding, the government clarified that subvention to Kwara State Polytechnic was stopped when a review of its finances revealed the institution could meet its obligations without recourse to government.