Kwara Govt Exonerates Toyin Saraki from Lease of Amusement Park
The Kwara State Government has cleared Mrs Toyin Saraki, wife of the former state governor, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, of any involvement in the lease of the Ilorin Amusement Park to the Artee Group, operators of Park n Shop and Spar Supermarket brands in Nigeria. The clarification follows a reported law suit by an Ilorin-based group linking the former first lady to the lease of the park.
Making the clarification in a statement issued in Ilorin, the state capital, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Prince Tunji Moronfoye, dismissed the group’s claim as politically-motivated disinformation, stressing that neither Mrs Saraki nor anyone associated with her was involved in the lease of the park. Moronfoye, who emphasised that Mrs Saraki only renovated the park in 2004 as a philanthropic gesture, further described the listing of Senator Saraki’s wife as a defendant in an alleged suit as a futile campaign orchestrated by the opposition and targeted at the Saraki family.
Giving a background to the transaction, the commissioner said the park was leased to Artee Group in 2010 when the company agreed to include Kwara State in its plans to expand to six locations in Nigeria following intense lobby by the state government. According to Moronfoye, Artee Group’s retail formats include department store chain Park n Shop and Dutch Supermarket Chain Spar. As at the end of 2012, according to Moronfoye, Artee Group had signed firm agreement with retail anchor tenants for the proposed mall, including Mr. Price, Spar, Park n Shop, KFC and BhS.
“In January 2010, Artee Group, promoters of the Spar retail brand in Nigeria and the Park & Shop retail brand acceded to request of the State Government and requested for a suitable location within the Ilorin Metropolis for the sole purpose of developing a modern shopping mall and entertainment arcade. Representatives of the State and those of Artee Group visited various sites in the Ilorin metropolis to determine the suitable place for the mall. The sites visited include, the Flower Garden, a site near the metropolitan square, the Amusement park (along Wahab Folawiyo road, Ilorin), which hitherto was being used as a relaxation/drinking pub, as well as a zoo accommodating few animals.
“After the visits, representatives of Artee Group chose the Amusement park as best suited for the project. Subsequently, the company made a financial offer on the property which the state government accepted on April 14, 2010. At no point in the transaction culminating in the lease of the Amusement Park to Artee Group did Mrs Saraki or anyone related or linked to her participate directly or indirectly.”
Related
Ancestral Land: Ilorin Elders Raise Fresh Posers for Kwara Govt
Saraki Denies Wife's Involvement in Sale of Ilorin Amusement Park
Alleged Sale of Ancestral Lands: Ilorin Senior Citizens Drag KWSG to Court
Ancestral Land: Only court can exonerate your wife, Ilorin elders reply Saraki
Group Urges Peace in Saraki, Elders' Land Dispute
Groups, NLC Chief Urge Caution over Kwara Land, Offa-Erin-Ile Crises
Alleged Sale of Ancestral Lands: Ilorin Senior Citizens Drag KWSG to Court
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Salman Alada Abdulrahman Abdulrazak Najim Yaasin Borgu Muslim Media Watch Group Of Nigeria T And K FOODS Kwara Metro Park Baba Issa Awoye Lateef Ademola Olatunji Durbar Festival Muhammad Toyin Sanusi Agboola Abdulraheem Hassan Saliu Kazeem Adekanye Mufutau Olatinwo Oniwasi Agbaye Usman Yunusa Yekeen Alabi Alliance For Democracy Femtech Tsaragi/Share ANCOPPS Afolabi-Oshatimehin Bilikis Oladimeji Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen Democracy Day Yemi Sanni AbdulHamid Adi Federal Polytechnic Offa Ilorin Muslim Community David Oyepinola Adedumoye Kwara Teaching Service Commission Ishola Moses Abiodun Kwara Pdp Fatima Abolore Jimoh Seni Saraki Olabanji Orilonishe Kamaldeen Ajibade ENetSuD Saadatu Modibbo-Kawu Ayotunde Emmanuel Alao Oyin-Zubair Universal Basic Education Commission COVID Olofa Of Offa Rueben Parejo Pacify Labs Raheem Adaramaja Frootify Mukhtar Shagaya Computer Based Test Raliat Elelu-Habeeb Valsolar Egbejila Afolabi-Oshatimehin Adenike Harriet Donatus Ejidike Abdulahi Abubakar Bata Trade Lenda SME Fair David Oyerinola Adedunmoye University Road Yoruba Kamaldeen Gambari Omotoso Clement Yomi Adeboye Tsaragi-Share Yakub Ali-Agan Samuel Elizabeth Keatswa Bolakale Kawu Undergraduate Bursary Abdulrahman Iliasu Amina Susa\'a De Ahmed Ilorin Emirate Ibrahim Mashood Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory Otunba Taiwo Joseph Mashood Dauda TIIDELab

