The Kwara State Government (KWSG) has denied allegations that it awarded an $800 million (₦1.2 trillion) contract to Alimi Abdulrazaq, the elder brother of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Mutawali of Ilorin.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the government refuted a comment attributed to Iliasu Ibrahim, calling the claim “false, reckless, ill-conceived, and intended to cause mischief and public dissatisfaction.”
The statement, signed by the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, categorically denied the scale of the alleged transaction.
“At no time did the government of the state even award a contract worth $800m. We are, therefore, alarmed by the depth of recklessness and evil intent that made Iliasu Ibrahim claim in a radio broadcast that His Excellency awarded a contract or empowerment worth $800m to his elder brother. This is false, baseless, and malicious,” the statement read.
The KWSG highlighted that the accuser, Alhaji Iliasu, and his colleagues failed to mention the specific Federal Government (FG) project or program that was purportedly awarded to Alimi.
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The government further clarified two key factual points.
Alimi Abdulrazaq is described as an “accomplished and respected senior lawyer and a Bencher” and is not a contractor.
Kwara State did not, at any time, receive an FG project or empowerment worth $800 million (₦1.2 trillion), making it impossible to award such an amount to anyone in the state.
The state government expressed concern that a radio station allowed its platform to “peddle such disinformation without anyone on its management team cautioning the guest and the anchor.”
While conceding the right to freedom of expression, the government noted that this freedom “comes with corresponding responsibility and a duty of care.”
The KWSG urged the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) “to do justice in this matter as soon as possible,” adding that other private citizens maligned in the radio program are within their right to review the broadcast.
