By Jimoh Sulyman
The former Kwara state head of service, Alhaji Mohammed Dabarako has come out to debunk claims that the former Governor of the state, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki owed the retirees a sum of N1.68bn unpaid pension.
This is coming on the heels of the ongoing controversy of the N1.68bn unpaid pension, which the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, Kwara chapter alleged was owed to them by Saraki-led administration, as Dabarako has rather revealed that the debt was accumulated under the administration of late Governor Muhammad Lawal.
The former head of service who was in the thick of the action and was well informed and involved in the matter, while speaking to National Pilot, shed more light on what truly happened.
He said, “The state government is not owing any pensioner because the pensioners signed agreement with the government led by Dr Bukola Saraki as the state Governor and the agreement was the payment of 50% of the gratuity and other benefits.
“After the agreement has been signed, some entities went behind to confuse the pensioners that Bukola got money from the federal government which was said to around #3.5bn and that he is only paying them 50%.
“We were taken to the EFCC in Abuja, when got there, we showed them the necessary documents on how the decision was reached and how the State government sourced for the money.”
“There was no evidence to prove that the federal government gave state government #3.5bn and there was no evidence that the state government borrowed the money from the government.
“Some people were sharing the wrong narrative that the government took loan and they pocketed half after spending the first half.
“We were taken to the EFCC ; afterwards they charged us to court, and we went with the signed agreement but they were told to go back and resolve the issue with the government at the Arbitration.
“At the Court, we showed the evidence where the pensioners signed and that was the end of the case. Even after I left service, about four years of my retirement, after the inauguration of this new administration, I was asked to report at the EFCC office Ilorin and we repeated the same thing by showing them the papers and agreement signed between the pensioners and the government and the council directives and that was how we rested the case.”
“The whole controversy is not about gratuity but arrears that accrued as a result of salary increase before Dr Bukola Saraki’s Administration and the union had already agreed, that was the reason why they sent a letter of appreciation to the Governor (Bukola Saraki) for his kind gesture.
“It will be great injustice If the present Government want to use it as politics, after all they have option to pay instead of saying Bukola stole pension funds, that is not true.
“It is even more of Ignorance on the part of the pensioners although ignorance of the law is not an excuse, because their leaders have stood for them to sign an agreement with the state government, but instead of them to honour the agreement, some of them later took the matter to court.”
“They were asked to go and renegotiate with the Government, rather than doing that, they went to another court but they were referred back to the initial court, but they rather approached the EFCC. I was still a sitting head of service when the matter was taken to the EFCC.”
“This government is trying to capitalize on this for political gains because almost immediately they came into power, they also took the matter to EFCC for further investigation, but right from the set go of the matter ,it had been an element of ignorance and benefit extortion by certain group of people.” He noted.
The retired service chief however disclosed that the pensioners were being extorted by some people who deliberately making them pursue a lost cause, adding that they were being made to pay #500 each every time they have case in Court for the payment of legal fees.
“The question now is who are the people benefiting from that money, they are the ones who are capitalizing on the people’s ignorance because of their own benefits.
“After I was invited to EFCC office in Abuja, I was never invited again until I left service even through out my first four years of retirement nothing was raised concerning the matter but for this government to now raise it now, I believe they’re trying to put political narrative into it.
“Bukola Saraki didn’t take money from federal government nor did he take loan from anywhere and that is the case. How can some people now say that he took a certain amount of money but only paid them half of it, the records are there, but whenever they’re shown the record then they keep quiet.” Dabarako affirmed.
In the same vein, a Kwara based sociopolitical group, Kwara Advancement Initiative, KAI, accused the State government of propaganda smear campaign against Saraki.
This was noted in a statement issued on Monday by Hajia Adeola Bashiru, the group’s Head Democratic mobilization and monitoring desk and obtained by National Pilot.
According to the group, “We see this as another political smear and propaganda on His Excellency Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki which should not be so as Governance is a continuum, it is high time this administration realize that as well.”
“The Government is stoking the fire of this propaganda and Smear Campaign and that is why it deliberately decided to keep quiet despite having all the relevant documents at its disposal.”
“The misleading report on controversial N1.68billion unpaid benefits of the Kwara State pensioners allegedly owed by His Excellency Dr, Abubakar Bukola Saraki led administration of the state is really disappointing and nothing can be farther away from the truth.”
“The claim made by the retirees is not even as disappointing as the silence of the incumbent Governor on what the true picture is despite inheriting all the necessary documents to tell the public what really happened, this is just another shoddy attempt to demonize previous administrations,” the group said.
Commenting further, KAI made reference to the letter that was said to have been written by the NUP to show their gratitude to Saraki, dated 23rd October 2008 and titled “Appreciation, Gratitude And Commendation On The Payment Of The 50% Of 30% 150% And 142% Arrears Of Pension Increases To Kwara State Pensioners”.
The letter reads ,”The Executive members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Kwara State Council are hereby expressing our appreciation and gratitude to Your Excellency on the payment of the 50% of the arrears of 30%, 150% and 142% pension increases to our members.
“We equally commend your effort in generally ameliorating the problems and sufferings of pensioners in the State, by the prompt payment of our monthly pension.
“The Nigeria Union of Pensioners,Kwara State Council as a responsible Union wishes to state categorically that having resolved to be paid and had been paid 50% as final payment of the cumulative arrears of the 150%, 30% and 140% pension increase; we do not see any rational for any faction to go against the collective agreement of the Union.”
“Our stand remains that we abide by the agreement reached and signed on the 16th day of April 2008 between the Kwara State Government ably represented by the Kwara State Head of Service and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Kwara State Council, endorsed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Kwara State.”
“Once again we appreciate and commend Your Excellency’s kind gesture in seeing to the welfare of pensioners in Kwara State.”
The letter was signed by the then Chairman, Alh. Ayinde Alanamu and the State Secretary, Chief Samuel C. Ibidoja on behalf of other executive members which include Vice Chairman, Alh. Mohammed Haliru; Asst. Secretary, Alh. S. Oba Agaka; Treasurer, Prince Nathaniel Durotoye; Auditor, Aminu Abass and the Trustees, Chief J.A. Alabi and A.O. Abubakar.
Just like Dabarako, the group also stated that the arrears was not owed or accumulated during the Saraki-led administration but by late Mohammed Lawal, adding “Saraki only agreed to pay 50% of the money that was owed by a previous administration as a responsible administrator who understands that government is continuum.” they stated.
The group also urged Governor AbdulRazaq “to desist from the smear campaign of calumny, and face governance with its full attention instead of this needless distractions.it is not good for him nor our beloved state of Kwara” the statement reads.
