Date: 2013-09-10

STATEMENT BY RT. HON. RAZAK ATUNWA, SPEAKER KWARA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ON THE BREACH OF THE PENSION LAW BY THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE AS IT RELATES TO WITHDRAWAL OF SECURITY PERSONNEL OF THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF KWARA STATE, SENATOR ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI

Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki is the immediate past Governor of Kwara State, having served meritoriously for two terms between 2003 and 2011.

By virtue of Paragraph H of the Third Schedule of the Kwara State Pension Law 2010, Senator Bukola Saraki is entitled to the provision of police security as part of his pension entitlement. That was a law validly enacted by the Kwara State House of Assembly.

It is quite disconcerting and perturbing that the Nigeria Police command ordered that the police security of the former Governor as provided for by law to be withdrawn. This constitutes a clear breach of the law.

Today, the Kwara State House of Assembly passed a resolution condemning that action and urging the Commissioner of Police to reinstate the withdrawn security personnel.

I am given to understand that, the Police are themselves compelled to take that action by reasons of “orders from above”.

However, as the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly that enacted the law, it would be utterly improper for me to sit indolently and do nothing in the face of such flagrant violation of its law.

If the Nigeria Police Command does not deem it fit to protect a two-term Governor and Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, then it is duplicitous to seek to protect a Speaker of the State Assembly.

Consequently, in addition to the resolutions passed by the Assembly today, I as Speaker have notified the Commissioner of Police of the Kwara State Command that if by Friday 13 September 2013, I will relinquish the Police security attached to me until such time as the police security of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki is restored.

I would like to thank the Kwara State Commissioner of Police and all his officers for their effort in combating crime and maintaining law and order throughout the State. I continue to have confidence in their ability to protect all the residents of Kwara.

The struggle for a better Nigeria continues.

Rt. Hon. Razak Atunwa Esq
Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly
10 September 2013