Disquiet in Kwara Assembly over allegations of fraud against Speaker Atunwa

• How Atunwa spent N33m on functional Assembly website, by Chief Whip
• Ethics Committee probes five-page petition against Speaker

Kwara State House of Assembly is boiling over allegations of multimillion naira fraud, mismanagement and official highhandedness against Speaker Razak Atunwa, who critics allege is running the House affairs like a fiefdom and unilaterally awarding contracts to himself.

Atunwa, a legislative greenhorn political commentators say Bukola Saraki favoured as Speaker to check the crony Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed from asserting himself, is in a running battle to save his political career after the House Chief Whip, Iliasu Ibrahim, authored a strong-worded petition challenging Atunwa's leadership style and accusing him of serial mismanagement of funds capable of denting the image of the House.

Both Atunwa and Ibrahim, who is a ranking member of the House, are members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The petition alleges, among other things, that Atunwa serially violates the law in the running of the House affairs, including his alleged refusal to consult with House leadership on legislative matters, arbitrary award of fictitious contracts, failure to account for funds allocated for the running of the Assembly and travel allowances for members, and alleged diversion of House funds for private use.

The petition is dated May 2, 2012 and addressed to the Speaker through the Clerk of the House. It is titled "Serious Allegations of Mismanagements of Kwara State House of Assembly Fund Against Rt. Honourable Razak Atunwa Representing Owode/Onire Constituency of Asa LGA/Kwara State by Honourable Iliasu Ibrahim of Ipaye/Malete/Oloru Constituency of Moro LGA. "

A member of the House who craves anonymity said the issues have polarised the PDP-dominated House, which has directed its Ethics and Privileges Committee to probe the allegations.

Ibrahim alleged in the petition that Atunwa re-awarded a contract for an already functional website at the rate of N33, 888,700 (Thirty three million, eight hundred and eighty eight thousand, seven hundred naira) via a memo coded KWHA/S/35/121/82 of 19th March, 2012. He insisted the contract was unnecessary and did not follow the due process.

According to Ibrahim, Atunwa through a memo titled KWHA/5/135/Vol./455 and dated March 12, 2012 sought to collect another N81, 500,000 (Eighty one million, five hundred thousand naira) for projects not approved by the House and without the knowledge of other principal officers.
The Chief Whip also raised questions on the "money released for the recent overseas trip and much was spent so far out of the N135, 000,000 (N135m)? How much money has so far been released for capital projects between 2011 and 2012 and how much has been spent? How was the fifteen million naira (N15, 000,000) released for the hosting of the North-Central Forum of Speakers spent? Details of the expenses incurred for the pursuit of your personal ambition of becoming the Chairman of the Niger Speakers Forum."

He also lampooned Atunwa for his "arrogance and corruption", adding: "As a foremost lawmaker and a lawyer by profession, you cannot claim to be unaware of the deleterious effects of financial mismanagement and other abuses on the integrity and reputation of the Assembly. With this recklessness of yours, how can the House carry out its oversight functions when you are so corrupt and utterly insensitive?"