Why Saraki lacks good governance skill – Ex-UNILORIN VC explains

Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Shuaib Abdulraheem, has opined that the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, failed to get the support of the people of Kwara State in the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections because he lacks good governance skill.

Abdulraheem, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said the people of Kwara State had always hoped for good governance, which he said was lacking all through the period Saraki held sway in the state.

The former vice-chancellor, who said the state had been liberated from the grip of Saraki and his proxies, following the February 23 election defeat, urged the electorate to complete the task in the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections.

He said, “I think everything is about good governance and it is the dividend of democracy. Whatever a person assumes in the name of leadership, if he is not actually doing it in executing the wishes of the people, there is no way the person can continue.

“It is not as if posterity is the deciding factor; it is actually the bottom line itself. The people wanted and always want good governance, which was not the case under his leadership. I think we must never forget that this is not about political parties; it is not about aspirants; it is about the will of the people being freely expressed through the ballot.”

Abdulraheem, whose sacking of some lecturers at the UNILORIN became a national issue when he was the VC in the ivory tower, said it was unfortunate that people misunderstood what happened.

He said he did not sack any lecturer but merely carried out the instruction of the governing council as the vice-chancellor.

“The policy around staff matters belongs to the governing council which is also responsible to them. The vice-chancellor cannot sack anybody; he has no such authority. He can only do the directive of the government,” he said.