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.
Doyin Group Sebastine Obasi Idi-Ape Share/Tsaragi Dasuki Belgore CUTI Mahe Abdulkadir Olabode Towoju Igbomina Kwara State Council Of Chiefs Obayomi Azeez Mashood Dauda A.G.F Abdulrasaq Kale Bayero Usman Rifun AbdulHakeem Ajibola Akanbi Wakilin Mata Lafiagi Okeose Christian Cementary Abdullahi Biffo Young Progressives Party Jani Ibrahim Alabi Olayemi Abdulrazak Bello Oyebanji Oke-Ode Abikan UNILORIN Alumni Association Hussein Oloyede Agboola Babatunde Dorcas Afeniforo Quareeb Kwara State Polytechnic Moro Sunday Otokiti KWASSIP Ganmo Musibau Akanji Bolaji Nagode Asa Suleiman Ajadi Shagari James Kolo Quranic Recitation Competition Onilu Amosa Shehu Jimoh Bursary Saka Aleshinloye Sardauna Of Ilorin Oke-opin Vasolar REO CAKES Alumni Association Of The Federal Polytechnic Offa Ajidagba Hakeem Lawal Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita Sulyman Atolagbe Alege Aliyu Umar Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrazaq Abdulahi Abubakar Bata Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Kumbi Titiloye Fola Consultant Abubakar Kawu Baraje ANCOPPS Hassan A. Saliu CT Ayeni Durosinlohun Atiku NIPOGA Olofa Of Offa Erubu Oba Zubair Stephen Fasakin SWAN Gambari KWATMA Adesina Simon Sodiya Law School Scholarship Yakubu Dogara

