Tension in Ilorin over Move to Revert Abubakar Olusola Saraki Varsity to Kwara Varsity

Hammed Shittu

Tension has continued to mount in Ilorin, Kwara State over the alleged move by members of the state House of Assembly to revert Abubakar Olusola Saraki University to Kwara State University.

Already, the bill for such action has passed first and second readings at the floor of the house for amendments.

The eighth assembly in the state had passed the bill into law that changed the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete in Moro Local Government Area to Abukakar Olusola Saraki University.

Since then, the institution has been addressed as Abubakar Olusola Saraki University.
THISDAY learnt that the new move of the state lawmakers might not be unconnected with the alleged move to remove all the legacies of the Saraki dynasty from the political scene of the state.

The house had three months ago, passed resolutions on the revocations of two properties of Saraki dynasty in the state that include the campaign house of late former senate leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki located opposite his country home in GRA Ilorin and one of the chalets of former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki at GRA, Ilorin.

However, at the recent sitting of the house, the lawmakers presented a bill called the Kwara State University (Amended) Bill, 2019 for amendment.

According to the lawmakers, “the bill is to amend the Kwara State University Law, No. 13 of 2008, to among other things, revert the name of the university from Abubakar Sola Saraki to Kwara State University.”

Other two bills presented for amendments at the floor of the house include, the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provision) (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

The third bill presented for amendment was the Kwara State Teaching Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which “is to amend the Kwara State Teaching Service Commission Law, to replace the permanent secretary with the secretary of the board as the administrative head and make the chairman the accounting officer.”

The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Salihu referred the bills to the relevant committees of the house for further legislative action.