@ATUNWA_1 CHIDES NATIONAL PLANNING MINISTER The Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, BARRISTER RAZAK ATUNWA has urged the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Suleiman Olanrewaju to be more committed to matters of state instead of wasting his precious time and energy attacking Senator Abubakar BUKOLA SARAKI. ATUNWA blames the minister for occupying himself with the attack of SARAKI, stressing that such docile attitude at this time of pressing national challenges constitutes not only deliberate distraction from national duty but reckless attribute of a footloose in search of relevance. The Speaker who spoke with newsmen in his office on Friday, said it is improper and not decorum of the minister of entire nation to be attacking and discussing the personality of another person. ATUNWA who was reacting to the comments credited to the Minister of National Planning attacking the personality of Senator BUKOLA SARAKI, advised the minister to attend to issues directly relating to the planning and growing of our economy which his ministry is saddled with rather than attacking SARAKI’s personality. According to him “I cannot find a developed system in a developed world where a national minister would be discussing or attacking personality. For example, I cannot think of Chancellor of Ex checker in the United Kingdom or Secretary of State in the United States attacking personality whatever party affiliation. I ask myself that does this minister have nothing to do? Does he not have files to treat? Does he not have ministry to run? “This country is sixth in terms of oil export, and tenth in terms of export of natural gas, yet this country is economically regretting. “Eighty per cent of government revenue comes from oil and gas yet we have no adequate infrastructure and our economy is not functioning due largely to corruption and lack of transparency. “The Transparency International report shows in its 2013/12014 corruption index rates Nigeria as top 25 most corrupt country in the world. It says that our budgetary provision and processes is zero in terms of openness and transparency. “The world bank in its latest report says that 80 per cent of the revenue of the government which is from oil and gas benefits less than 1 per cent of the population. That means Nigeria is very rich but the masses are very poor. “So, these are issues directly relating to the planning and growing of our economy which the minister should compel himself with. But rather than doing that, he bushes himself in discussing SARAKI dynasty, he bushes himself discussing Ilorin, not even Kwara politics. He is so upset to forget infrastructural development , he forgets economic growth, he forgets planning, he forgets all those matters that affect economy of the people of the country which he should be coordinating with other ministers. But he bushes himself attacking personality of Dr. BUKOLA SARAKI. Perhaps, he should tell the president to create a ministry for SARAKI matters”. Commenting on the withdrawal of security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives following his defecting from the PDP to APC, the Speaker described the development as most unfortunate, improper and unconstitutional and morally repugnant. He said “as we speak now, he remains the speaker of the House of Representatives and therefore, he is entities to all the entitlements of that office regardless of party affiliation. The issue whether or nor he is entitle to defect to another party has consequence which can solely be interpreted by the court. “The rules are clear that when he is a speaker, he should remain the speaker and should have all the necessary security details. He has not been impeached, he has not been removed, no court has declared his seat vacant. For me, this is the act of gross rascality by the Federal Government particularly by the Inspector General of Police” he added.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 11:10:34 +0000
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