Date: 2019-03-26

The Kwara State Government has absolved the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki of any involvement in the planned appointment of a new Rector of Kwara State Polytechnic (Kwarapoly) and the Vice-Chancellor, Kwara State University(KWASU). It also described rumours that Kwarapoly funded Saraki's previous political campaign as false and illogical.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Kwara State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Barrister Utaz Abdullahi Alikinla, dismissed the claims as "Outright falsehood," stressing that only the Executive Governor of the state, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has the authority to make such appointments.

The Commissioner 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."

Alikinla said 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 The Herald and Punch Newspapers.

According to him, the vacancy was advertised as the incumbent's tenure expires next June.

As governance abhors a vacuum, he said, the administration started the recruitment in line with due process even though its tenure is ending.

The Commissioner added that as the tenure of the current Vice Chancellor of KWASU ends next July, the recruitment of his replacement is yet to commence.

Barrister Alikinla also denied claims that a former Chairman of Kwarapoly's Governing Council contributed funds to the Senate President's electioneering campaign in 2011, adding that" there is no record of any such transaction in the state government's or the institution's records neither is there any record an approval by any organ or official of the institution to that effect." On the issue of funding, Alikinla clarified that "subvention to Kwarapoly was stopped when a review of its finances revealed the institution could meet its obligations without recourse to government."