…as comm’te drops Saraki, Baraje other PDP chieftain
…governor declines comment on allege interference
…Saraki announces N50 million donation.
The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has promised that his administration would institutionalise the Ilorin Durbar festival as a tourist attraction in the state.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor made this disclosure during a visit of the Committe to the governor.
“Ilorin Durbar has come to stay. Our administration will treat it as a tourist attraction for the state. We will institutionalise it. From next year, preparations for it would be captured in the budget and organisers and the affected ministry will have to go through the traditional budget defence at the House of Assembly,” AbdulRazaq said.
While speaking, the chairman of the Committe, Engr.
Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa said they had come to brief the Governor on the activities of the committee.
“As a son of the soil and the son of Mutawallin Ilorin (AGF Abdul Razaq SAN), we want you to drive the process so that we can put the Ilorin Durbar on the global map,” Alapansanpa said.
The Durbar is a northern “copycat” of celebrating the heritage of the Ilorin Emirate. However This year’s celebration had been marred with controversy following the allegation of the state governor requesting the Durbar committee to drop the former senate president, Bukola Saraki as the distinguish guest of honour.
On the Invitation obtained by THE INFORMANT247, the former Senate Presidnet Bukola Saraki who was the initial distinguish guest of honour was replaced with Alhaji Usman Mustapha, the Wali of Ilorin and father to the two former gubernatorial aspirant, Lukman Mustapha and Mashood Mustapha.
Names of two other PDP top chieftains, Alhaji Kawu Baraje and Professor Sulyman Abubakar were also dropped from the special invitation.
All efforts to reach the Chairman and Secretary of the Durbar Committee, Engr. Alapansanpa and Dr. Jawondo prooved abortive.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye when approached with questions on the governor’s alleged controversial interference, decline reaction.
Nonetheless, the former senate president Bukola Saraki yesterday was said to have announced the donation of N50 million to support the Committee.