Kwarans have heaved a sigh of relief since shaking off the yoke of political servitude in 2019, with great improvements in delivery of basic amenities and other goodies, APC leaders said on Tuesday.

“Kwara people, I congratulate you for your freedom four years ago. It was a thunderbolt across the country. You deserve great congratulations,” APC presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu told thousands of party supporters and chieftains who attended the rally in Ilorin, the state capital.

“Today, we are just celebrating freedom. We are re-assessing and re-asserting our freedom in democracy. Yesterday, they never believed that today would happen, but it is happening in your lifetime. We thank you for believing in (Governor) AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. He knows how to behave. He is a very honest and genuine, hardworking man.

“Vote for me as your presidential candidate on February 25 and vote for all our National Assembly candidates. Vote for Governor AbdulRazaq and all the House of Assembly candidates on March 11.”

The rally, which was preceded by what was practically a city-wide rally as tens of thousands trooped out to catch a glimpse of the campaign train, was attended by APC Vice Presidential Candidate Kashim Shettima; Director General of the Campaign Governor Simon Lalong (Plateau); Governor of Niger Abubakar Sanni Bello; Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi; APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu; former House of Representatives Speaker Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole; several Senators, including the three from Kwara; House of Representatives members; Minister of Information Lai Mohammed; Minister of Youths and Sports Sunday Dare; Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Yakubu Salihu Danladi; House of Assembly members; cabinet members; Kwara APC Chairman Prince Sunday Fagbemi; and several other dignitaries from across the country.

Accompanied by First Lady Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq commended the people of the state for coming out in droves to welcome Tinubu and his entourage.

“This huge crowd is a testament to our standing with the people of Kwara State. It shows that we have won this election. Our presidential candidate has seen what we have done in this state. Kwara is APC. Kwara indeed is one of the strongholds of the APC. Our members are happy. The state is happy. They have seen what we have done. We met a failed state in several sectors, and we have been able to tackle it from education, healthcare, and other sectors. All the indices have gone up in the right sense,” he said.

“You need to continue to support this party at all levels. President Muhammadu Buhari has done well. We need to build on his success. No person could have done what he has done, despite the economic downturn, Covid-19 pandemic, and global economic crisis. We must sustain this growth consistently. That will be continued by our incoming team led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Party faithfuls, I urge you to support and vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The progress we have in this state will be continued with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We thank him for the support he gave us in 2019. He gave us full support in throwing out the termites in this state. We still want to thank Mr. President, who is away in Mauritania. He couldn’t be here but he will come back here. We appreciate his efforts and the support he has been giving this government for the progress of the state. You all know what we have been doing in this state from healthcare. Don’t allow the party of people of dubious characters to come back into this state. Don’t allow people who stole the UBEC funds to come back to this state. They could not even pay salaries. What are they coming to do?

“Just last month, we paid N3.5bn for pensions and gratuities of 2009 and 2010. When we came in, there was no water works working in this state. We have 90 waterworks in this state right from the time of Sir Ahmadu Bello. They crashed everything. In fact, they were not paying counterpart funds in the health sector. Nothing.”

APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu said Kwara has proven to be a strong APC state with the showings posted for the rally.

“Kwarans, you have really surprised me. I have seen more than what I expected, and everyone has seen what Kwara has done today. You have said it loud and clear that you are better together. We pray and hope that this is translated to real vote on the 25th of February,” he said.

The campaign train later paid a special homage to the Emir of Ilorin Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, who prayed for the success of the candidate in the coming polls. He acknowledged the sterling qualities of Tinubu and Governor AbdulRazaq, who he described as great and humble achievers.

The rally was attended by many dignitaries such as APC candidates and chieftains including Senators Lola Ashiru and Sadiq Umar; House of Representatives members Tunji Raheem Olawuyi (Ajuloopin) and Mohammed Omar Bio; APC Senatorial Candidate for Kwara Central Turaki Saliu Mustapha; Mohammed Dele Belgore SAN; Mallam Isa Lanre Onilu; Hajia Faridah Dankaka; Yahya Seriki; and Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
January 17, 2023

By Ibraheem Abdullateef

Quite unsurprisingly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara have been at their imperious best sending homilies the way of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq over the impending berth of the ruling party presidential campaign train in Kwara.

Marked for Tuesday, the Tinubu/Shetimma campaign was to be led by President Muhammadu Buhari in the state. It could have been the third with the president in attendance. And Buhari, the People’s General, does not go somewhere without a shake. If you doubt it, ask Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential candidate, about the troubles APC left him in the wake of the rally held in Adamawa, his home, last week.

It is such incalculable political damage envisioned by PDP that has made them all, across files and ranks, become restless in selling horrible tales to Kwarans. They started with this press conference led by Ali Ahmad, a certainly crooked voice, where everyone looked plucked out of the 1990s opera, and funnily confused about what to say. One minute, they said at the event that the administration has no projects to show for its tenure in the last three years. Just in another breath, they were calling for President not to commission this and that ‘project’ in Kwara on his planned visit for flimsy reasons. It made for a pleasant sight to see them mentioning several legacy works they have spent three good years of their life ignoring, living the lie. I am pretty sure I wasn’t the only who thought Ahmad and his colleagues did a pretty awful job (even by their standards in comedy), as they did not only get the purpose of the visit wrongly but the delivery. But how would they be in PDP if they didn’t flunk basic values in power in the first place, and are still not getting basic leadership out of power. I mean, they have a remarkable consistency in failing, and now, moaning.

As it must now be clear with the statement released on Saturday by the Kwara APC campaign council, the days of moaning are not over; in fact, the spanking has not started.

The first call in the map of misery, which I assume they are trying very hard to unravel, drawn for the PDP comes up on the day Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima seize the state. As the ticket ordained by God and most accepted by the people, the lines have been falling into place for them. This time, it won’t be different, as Kwara poises to take it a notch higher. From village to village across the state, ecstatic Kwarans are literally on the road on Monday heading to the capital to welcome and warmly identify with their leaders and beloved party, APC. By the time thousands of them would converge at metropolitan square Monday night, in anticipation, revelling in art and the beckoning of history, I doubt members of the opposition, PDP, would catch a sleep all night– wondering if what they did with Atiku at the same venue in November was a ward meeting or presidential rally. Yet, this pang of misery would only be a tip of the iceberg, however sweet and alluring, it would pale to their disgrace when the president finally comes for commissioning.

However joyful as it could be for members of the opposition now in making a mockery, let it be known that it is no cause for joy. This, is, in fact, to be dreaded. This is like that period in the ageless story of sun, rain, salt and shea butter. As soon as the rain of abuses and insults directed at President Buhari, Governor AbdulRazaq and other leaders of APC in Kwara boil over, the sun coming out would be scorching and wilting their traducers down completely. Or who does not know that the mocking joy of shea butter at the rain falling on salt is temporary for when it stops it becomes a feast for the scorching sun?

Although everyone would love it otherwise, it is not the first time campaign rallies get postponed and it would not be the last under a party as big as the ruling APC– the biggest on the African continent. We have gone down this road before and came out unscathed. A peek into the past revealed that the party won a landslide in Kwara and nationally in 2019 after such postponement.

But what matters, today, is Buhari is coming to Kwara under APC. Tinubu/Shettima campaign will also hold on Tuesday, 17th January, 2023 in Kwara in its full glory. I could say this 1000 times for effect. But I would rather tell you why it matters now. First, I appreciate, by their posturing, that PDP think they have some sort of victory that Buhari won’t be available in Kwara because he is disenchanted with the governor. Of course, it is not true. The governor and the president have never been at a better place than now. Ordinarily, one would take a leave of the laptop and begin to laugh and roll on the floor at the imbecility of some shock-jocks sharing lurid tales of feud between the presidency, PCC or LOC in Kwara. But, in all honesty, I think it rather emphasises my earlier position that there is an urgent need for the party to get a hold of themselves and put in place firm measures to ensure stable mental health within their ranks. How could you leave your smelly house tending to other people’s garden? How do you tell people lies with such effortlessness, keeping a straight face? I mean, this man, Buhari, is the same you say has failed and is hated, and has no electoral value, and is no longer worth a penny. But I can argue I hear their sighs of relief, even though were made in bated breath, at his absence now. As much as I struggle to excuse the silly jokes that Governor AbdulRazaq is powerless on party affairs within his state, this height of mischief also makes me want to warn that what is coming is certainly beyond the pay grade of this assemblage of hacks, mischief makers and fake news peddler. All they would get is a postponement of doom’s day. If they think otherwise, I dare them to go down to the metropolitan square to see for themselves whose teams are coordinating and organising and how people have rejected O’suwa and must have only been looking at them as some fools lost in the splendour of self-glorification on the radio or on the streets all this while. It appears it would take donkey years for these folks to understand that the fight is not against Buhari or AbdulRazaq, in Kwara. PDP’s lost cause is getting the people to see them as a party worthy of trust and support after previous years of its uninspiring, doleful regime in the state.

But the confirmation will happen nonetheless, on Tuesday, because the love of President Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the generality of the APC in the heart of Kwarans is profoundly solid and unshaken. When Asiwaju enters Kwara, the mountains will move just as much, the crippled will walk, as the people sign up for the seismic social changes with RENEWED HOPE with Tinubu/Shettima — the thinkers and doers.

When Buhari comes to Kwara later in February, tentatively, as a special guest, he would be commissioning some awesome projects of this administration (see previous articles by Rafiu Ajakaye) heralding the reign of posterity and development for the people and state under the APC. Three years after Kwara regained freedom from the deposed, dangerous and deadly dynasty, I do not know of a man more fitting for this guard of history.

After all, Saraki and his boys had also sworn to defeat and send him into early retirement in 2019. But like he defeated sickness and slayed every affliction, like a cat with seven lives, Buhari will return triumphantly to bask in the victory and rejuvenation of Kwarans as one, decent, dignified people with their destinies firmly in own their hands, under God and his country. For a general who fought and won many battles, Buhari will be concluding and starting a new one, and always, it will end in bended knees and total, irreparable damages for those who seem to have struck an accord with devils to draw Kwara back into their hole of slavery, stagnation, cultural and economic degradation.

Unless the PDP withdraws its candidates from the elections in Kwara, I do not see how it will avoid the impending defeat but I think I know how the loss will be minimal. PDP leaders may be wise not to spend their fortunes prosecuting the elections. It may also be thoughtful to slow down on hurling invectives at the candidates of the APC who have been ordained by God to win. I am hoping they do this for their own sake. As the people willed the last time and stand resolutely by it, the dark, devilish era of PDP in Kwara is over and this year is the one the people move forward with APC.

Therefore, Kwarans, esteemed party leaders and members, Buhari is still coming…but the PDP funeral goes on first in full throttle tomorrow.

Abdullateef is the Special Assistant to the Governor on Communications

The All Progressive Congress Presidential Campaign Council has given approval for the Tinubu/ Shettima Presidential Campaign rally scheduled for tomorrow January 17, 2023 in Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital.

The Presidential Campaign Council gave the approval for the rally to hold as Sheduled at 10 am tomorrowfollowing reports that majority of APC members and Supporters across the country have arrived in Ilorin , the state Capital.

While commending all APC members and supporters for their total loyalty and commitment for staying back in Ilorin for further clarification , the Council assures them tha t all PCC members and other leaders of the party slated to attend the rally are on their way to Ilorin for the rally as scheduled.

The Local Organizing Committee assures all APC members and Supporters that all arrangements are intact to have a successful Rally.

The Committtee urged those on their way to Ilorin to continue for full participation in the rally .

It wishes all members across the country a safe journey and successful rally in Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital .

E Signed

Alhaji Saadu Salau

Chairman, LOC Media Committee

Breaking News !!!

We regret to announce the postponement of Bola Ahmed Tinubu/ Shetima APC presidential campaign rally scheduled to hold in Ilorin tomorrow Tuesday 17Th January , 2023 .

This is in order to allow President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the campaign .

The President is scheduled for an International engagement outside the country this week , beginning from tomorrow but insists he would like to personally lead the APC Presidential rally in Kwara State .

We deeply regret any inconveniences the postponement might have caused our guests and all APC stakeholders .

E- Signed :

Saadu Salahu

For :

LOC,

APC Presidential Campaign Rally ,

Kwara State

The Office of the APC National Youth Leader wishes to restate the following for the sake of clarification:

1. That the Jagaban’s Army is a sub-directorate of the recently-inaugurated APC National Youth Wing Campaign Council. Its branding as an ‘army’ was informed by the popular regarding of political canvassers as ‘foot soldiers’. Nevertheless, it is a peaceful and democratic organization of young canvassers whose task is to facilitate support and ensure the poll success of the APC in the General Elections, beginning with the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima.

2. That the branding of a vote mobilization unit as an ‘army’ is neither an anomaly in democratic politics nor a deviation from democratic norms. Naysayers spreading malicious interpretations — including sensational claims of a ‘violent militia’ — are referred to President Barack Obama’s 2008 branding of his local organizers and campaigners as his ‘peacetime army’. Just as it would be ridiculous to accuse America’s 44th President of attempting to topple the country’s democracy at the time, similar insinuations about the Jagaban’s Army are to be viewed in the same light.

3. That just like Obama’s Army, the Jagaban’s Army is a rebirth of participatory democracy, infused by the energy of millions of Nigerian youths at home and in the diaspora.

4. The ceremonial outfit worn by the leadership of the ‘Army’ at its inauguration bears no semblance to that of the armed forces nor does it purport to be representative of it. It’s no different to those adorned by civil and peaceful church societies, particularly those tasked with evangelization.

5. That it is an ‘army’ to the extent that it is a body of persons organized to advance a cause, in this case the peaceful and democratic cause of preaching the achievements and goodwill of the APC and her candidates to bring about electoral victory.

6. That the operations of the Jagaban’s Army are fully democratic and centered around well-established democratic persuasion methods in every electoral campaign season. This fact is evidenced by the design and deployment of the Canvassers’ Record Sheet, a key tool of the ‘foot soldiers’ meant to aid data collection and test message effectiveness.

7. That the ‘army’ remains focused on its goal and welcomes the enthusiasm and dedication of members and other affiliates of the party who are already hard at work, preaching the Renewed Hope message of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and winning new converts for the party through peaceful and strategic engagements.

We invite all Nigerians to download the APC Youth Wing App on Google Play-store and to join our Army of Progressive Youths on www.joinapc.ng even as prepare to Vote ASIWAJU Bola Tinubu as President.

Signed

ASIWAJU ‘Airforce’

The Communication Team of the APC National Youth Wing Campaign Council

People of Oro Kingdom have resolved to back Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for second term based on his unprecedented achievements in the ancient community, Oro Descendants Union announced on Saturday.

The union made the endorsement at the 20th coronation anniversary of the Oloro of Oro Land Oba AbdulRafiu Ajiboye Oyelaran I, where the Governor’s many feats in the town earned him the title of Akorede of Oro Kingdom — one who brings goodies. His wife, Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq, received the title of Yeye Akorede of Oro Kingdom — along with several other dignitaries who were given varying titles to commend their contributions to the growth of Oro.

The colourful event was attended by federal lawmakers, top government officials, senior royalties, and senior citizens from across Kwara State and beyond.

“We, the people of Oro, are strongly behind Your Excellency in your quest to run for a second term, given your unprecedented achievements in all ramifications in the last 44 months,” according to a speech read on behalf of the President of ODU by its National Publicity Secretary Mr. Kayode Adeyipo.

The influential body listed some of the projects in Oro to include comprehensive overhaul of Oro Grammar School for the first time in 65 years; asphalt laid road linking the Okerimi Oro junction to the Ilorin-Omu Aran-Lokoja road; comprehensive renovation of Oro General Hospital which the body said is also unprecedented in the history of the kingdom.

The body said the administration has made learning more conducive with its overhaul of many schools in the town and across the state, including Onila and Oloro villages which ODU said were getting such interventions for the first time in a century.

“The physical achievements that were recorded in Oro in the last twenty years are incomparable, particularly from 2019 till date. It is delightful to note that during the monarchs’ reign, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has positively touched the lives of and added value to us as a people,” according to the speech.

“The various projects embarked upon by the AbdulRazaq’s administration have clearly shown that the Oro Kingdom has not been forgotten by the state government. The list is endless.”

The President described the reign of Oba AbdulRafiu as peaceful and progressive, and that the anniversary was deserving, calling on sons and daughters of Oro Community to continue to exist in unity and peace.

Among the dignitaries at the event were Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi; House of Representatives member Hon. Raheem Ajulo-opin; Hon Justice Gboloshade Ojo of Court of Appeal; Chairman LUBCON Nig Engr. Jani Ibrahim; Former Grand Kadi Shari’a Court of Appeal Justice Idris Haroon; Danmasanin Ilorin Engr Suleiman Yahya Alapansanpa; Chairman YOLAS Consultancy Engr Lanre Shagaya; the Oloro in Council; and other awardees and other members of Oro Community among others.

Top among the traditional rulers in attendance were the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo Oba Ismail Yahaya Alebiosu; Elese of Igbaja, Oba Ahmed Babalola Awuni Arepo III; Olomu of Omu-Aran Oba AbdulRaheem Adeoti; Olosi of Osi Oba Salihu Arowobeku II; and the Oloro of Oro and celebrant of the day Oba AbdulRafiu Olaniyi Ajiboye Oyelaran (I).

AbdulRazaq, in his acceptance speech, reiterated his administratiion’s commitment to making life more worth living for the people of Oro and Kwara State by increasing and improving the presence of basic infrastructure such as link roads, schools, hospitals, among others.

He said the government is working with the National Assembly members on how to upgrade the College of Education in Oro to a federal institution, assuring that the dream will soon come to pass.

“As a government, you have seen what we have done in the kingdom and we intend to do more. There is a lot more to do, fixing the schools, continuous upgrade of other institutions and human capital development,” the Governor said.

He congratulated the Oloro of Oro on the 20th anniversary of his ascending the throne, appreciating the Chieftaincy title given to him by the monarch.

“Without a doubt, your reign has brought a lot of development and unity to Oro. May your reign be long, Your Royal Highness,” he said.

He commended the traditional institutions for their support for the government, particularly in the area of peace and harmonious coexistence of the people.

Rafiu Ajakaye

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor

January 14, 2023

All Progressives Congress Campaign Council in Kwara State has said the opposition PDP will definitely cry out its heart next month when the President Muhammadu Buhari is billed to be in the state to commission some legacy projects executed by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Campaign Spokesperson and Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Olasumbo Florence Oyeyemi, said President Buhari is coming next Tuesday to just flag off the presidential campaign in Kwara State, while a different date will be announced for grand commissioning of different impactful projects such as the largest Intensive Care Unit facility in North Central which is the first functional ICU facility in the state.

“The PDP is understandably jittery because it has exhausted its arsenals of empty catch phrases and propaganda that fail to inspire the electorates as a result of its horrible records in Kwara State. Worse still is the fact that the PDP Campaign Council is led by persons notorious for their roles in diverting public resources for their own use. They are understandably pained that this Governor is now committing savings from bogus consultancy money that they were diverting to their private pockets to building a befitting headquarters for the KWIRS, which will have different office spaces for commercial purposes and benefit the state,” she said.

“The PDP and its leaders are jittery and totally bereft of ideas, knowing they have nothing meaningful to campaign against a governor that has not only cleansed their mess like President Buhari did in 2015, but has in fact gone ahead to place Kwara State on the national map as one of the most progressive states in the country in Human Capital Development Indices (HCDIs), such as in provision of healthcare, basic education, gender inclusion, youths empowerment, rural urban development, and support for the vulnerable and the elderly.

“It is shocking that characters like Dr. Ali Ahmad are the ones talking. It is a case of ‘you can’t shame the shameless’. The characters who made Kwara the object of national joke are talking again. It is beyond shame that the characters who turned various agencies of government like SUBEB and KWIRS to their cash cow are blinded by negative politics to not see the creativity of the new administration whose savings from KWIRS are now being used to construct the multibillion naira HQs that comprises office spaces that would be one of its kind in the country. They are not ashamed that resources that ordinarily should go into building a new future for the state are being spent to clean their mess, including the recently paid gratuities and pension that dated back to 2009 and 2010. We urge the people of Kwara State to ignore the PDP as its noise is true to type.”

Oyeyemi Olasumbo Florence

Spokesperson, Kwara APC Campaign Council/Honourable Commissioner for Finance

January 13, 2023

Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq on Thursday launched the disbursement of N50,000 grant each for at least 4000 Kwara artisans to support their businesses and strengthen the local economy.

“This programme is one of our initiatives to support local industries, talents and SMEs to grow. This prevents job export, strengthens the local economy, reduces poverty rate, and improves living standards in the state,” AbdulRazaq said at the launch in Ilorin, the state capital.

“Before our administration in 2019, Kwara State did not have any structured and legally backed initiative to encourage and support local industries, self-employment, petty trading, and reduce poverty.

“History bears us witness that we are doing that already through the Kwara State Social Investment Programme. We will not drop the ball.”

The administration had in 2020 contracted the production of 500,000 facemasks to the state branch of the Nigerian Tailoring Union to curb the spread of COVID 19, apart from several other supports so far extended to the group.

AbdulRazaq said the artisans are the custodians of various skills and key drivers of sustainable economic growth, adding their inclusion in the intervention will help to encourage skills development and grow the economy.

“What we are doing today takes our policy of inclusive growth to a new height. Artisans are the custodians of various skills and key drivers of sustainable economic growth. Their inclusion in this intervention will therefore help to encourage skills development and grow the economy,” he said.

He congratulated all the beneficiaries and urged them to make good use of the grant for good impacts on the society.

In attendance were cabinet members, other officials of government; labour leaders, and party supporters, including the Acting General Manager for Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP), Abdulquowiyu Olododo; Director General State APC Campaign Council Ambassador Abdulfatai Seriki and thousands of artisans.

The acting General Manager for KWASSIP, AbdulQuowiyu Olododo, for his part, said 4,000 artisans were carefully selected from 13,000 applicants across the 16 local governments, calling it another giant step toward eradicating poverty in the state.

He commended AbdulRazaq for his leadership quality, his passion for masses, and how he has been supporting the agency to thrive in its given task.

“I must commend the effort of our visionary, committed, and prudent leader, His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who, without him, we wouldn’t have been able to come this far. We say a big thank you, sir,” he said.

President, State Artisans Congress, Alhaji Jimoh Adeshina, appreciated the Governor for his leadership style and how he has been supporting the local artisans in various ways.

He said the current grant of N50,000 each for 4000 artisans was unique and will make a great impact in the lives of the recipients.

“We should be thankful to God for the gift of Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq. The Governor has fulfilled all his promises he made to Kwara artisans during the 2019 campaigns. Importantly, the Governor fulfilled his promise to patronize us if elected to power,” he said.

Adeshina said Kwara artisans cannot quantify the large impacts of support they are getting from the administration, alluding to various programmes that so far benefitted his members.

“During the heat of COVID 19, he contracted our tailoring members to produce all the facemasks for the use of the state. He has also been engaging the locals, who are mostly our members, in the execution of government contracts, thereby helping to return our members who had turned to okada riders because of the low patronage in the past.

“The government has been building schools and hospitals, and constructing roads. Kwara artisans are most of the people working on project sites. Bricklayers, carpenters and tillers among others are benefitting from this. That means we benefit more from this government,” he added.

“Apart from that, the Governor also gives scholarship slots to 50 of our members every year to attend the capacity building programme at the IVTEC to enable us to meet up with the modern standards. Just recently, the Governor gave 400 local artisans scholarships to attend the training and bought working tools for the participants to function properly. All what you are doing has impacts on the masses, but we artisans benefit more. We cannot thank Your Excellency enough,” he added.

Rafiu Ajakaye

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor

January 12, 2023

The Federal High Court Abuja has dismissed a suit by the People’s Democratic Party PDP seeking an order disqualifying Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara from participating in the state’s 2023 Governorship Election.

Handing down the judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo dismissed the suit for being incompetent and an abuse of Court process.

He said that the PDP lacks the right to sue since it wasn’t a participant in the APC governorship primaries that produced Governor Abdulrazaq.

The judge adds that Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that only an aspirant who participated in a party’s political primaries can seek to disqualify another for giving false information as in this particular case.

Justice Ekwo said that there is no provision in the Electoral Act or the Constitution that gives a political party that legal right to challenge the candidacy of an aspirant.

The judge further observed that the Governorship primaries being an internal affair of the APC, completely rules out the part of the PDP in seeking to dictate how it conducts its affairs.

The suit which was filed on Aug. 4, 2022 had urged the court to make an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delist the name of Abdulrazaq as a candidate of the APC for 2023 Kwara governorship election.

The party also asked the court to declare that Governor Abdulrazaq had presented forged WAEC certificate to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC.

The attention of the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq students’ support group (AASSG) has been drawn to a disconcerting press conference released by the President of National Association of Kwara state students (NAKSS Nhqs) Comr. Abdulkadri Wokili.

We have conscientiously read the text of the press conference with the above caption. We would have loved to keep mute but we are left with no option than to write a rejoinder because of the inaccuracies it conveyed. The press only succeeded in exposing his ignorance vis-a-vis the transformation that has been happening in Kwara. It is not surprising to us, perhaps it is due to some deliberate intellectual mischief.

To set the record straight, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has, since the inception of his administration, birthed a new paradigm shift in the quest to transform Kwara state as a whole and no single sector in the state is left untouched in the unprecedented massive refurbishment. Before his emergence as the Executive Governor of the state, any perceptive observer would see that Kwara has become a distraught state which can be likened to the proverbial bride who lost her beauty and allure to the ravage of foul-minded suitors. But no sooner did Governor Abdulrahman assumed office that Kwara began to experience rejuvenation as he has redirected the affairs of the state towards promising trajectories via his unmatched governing policies and fair projects delivery.

Contrary to the fabricated claim of the bogus NAKSS president, Governor AbdulRazaq has scored inspiring feats in the state’s erstwhile dormant and languid education sector. Since he assumed office, Governor AbdulRazaq has given priority to education in the state. The sector had hitherto suffered neglect by previous administrations leading to the state being blacklisted from accessing the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) fund for more than seven years before his emergence as the governor. Thanks to Governor Abdulrazaq’s swift and continued interventions, the sector has been successfully saved from its ugly situation.

Also, the pushover president noted in his spurious statement that the state government paid no attention to the state owned tertiary institutions. This claim is not only untrue but also disingenuous. To start with the state polytechnic, popularly addressed as Kwara poly, meaningful and significant infrastructural developments have been recorded leading to academic expansion, improved teaching and learning through the adoption of Information and Communication Technology, ICT, improved welfare packages for the staffs and impactment of advanced skills and entrepreneurial trainings; completion of a Multipurpose Auditorium project which was initiated by the government of late Rear Admiral Muhammad Alabi Lawal; abandoned 2000-capacity auditorium was completed and furnished to taste and named after late Rear Admiral Lawal by AA’s government; abandoned 1000-capacity students’ hostel which was initiated by late Rear Admiral Lawal was completed through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFUND); millions of naira was released for the accreditation of some courses through the National Board of Technical Education(NBTE) so as to meet up with the requirements and stipulated standard for the continuation of some academic programmes; Higher National Diploma for Mass Communication Department was accredited along with the establishment of Campus Radio, Kwara Poly radio station with frequency modulation of 88.5fm, with a world class television studio in the Mass Communication Department.

In the same vein , the Abdulrazaq’s led-government also renovated and upgraded lecture halls and hostels, staff quarters, provision of office furniture and other academic facilities, payment of 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 promotional arrears, free medical outreach for staff, operation light up Kwara Poly through solar power; refurbishment of 25 industrial machines at the Institute of Technology for wood works, metals, mechanical and electrical works. The state Polytechnic also boasts of commercial bakery and production of table water, to mention but a few.

Moving to the colleges of Education, during Gov. AbdulRahman’s first tenure, the payment of over 700 million naira was made to the colleges of education of which accumulated to seven months’ salary arrears owned by the last administration. The prestigious and long-existing colleges of education were a walking corpse. The staff members had always embarked on incessant strike due to non-payment of salaries. However, today, the colleges of education are back on their feet with non-stop payment of salary. Thanks to the God-sent Governor!

In a related development, payment of over #160 million for the accreditation exercise of the College of Education Technical Lafiaji, School of Nursing and Midwifery Ilorin, College of Health Technology Offa and College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies Ilorin by Governor AbdulRahman of which has been neglected by the last administration. Non-payment of the accreditation exercise has made the aforementioned schools nearly lost their old glory and has led to protests by students. Today, the schools can boast of having well accredited courses. All thanks to the pragmatic Governor.

The state university is not left out in the Governor’s beautiful touches. To mention but a few: The sum of 18million Naira was released for KWASU e-learning and virtual examination; ongoing construction of Osi and Ilesha Baruba satellite campuses of Kwasu with 60% completion; facilitation of construction of Central Research Laboratory by the Central Bank Of Nigeria.; construction of Senate Building by TETFUND ( A project facilitated by the Kwara State Government), among other infrastructural impactful projects.

The President alleged that the Governor doesn’t prioritize students welfarism, well he can say that because he is very new in the students leadership circle. To set the record straight, no Governor in the history of Kwara has ever prioritized welfare of the students as Governor AbdulRahman has been doing so far. He is the only Governor who has paid students bursary consecutively. Not only that, the increment of bursary by 100% is another pointer to the fact that the Governor is a lover of students. Students who graduated few years back will always remember how they often went on street in a bid to protest for the payment of their bursary, yet nothing would be paid .Not only that, the students will be treated like criminals by instigating securities to intimidate them. Interestingly, students have not, for a moment, embarked on protests all in the name of bursary in the last three and half years. This points to the steadfastness of Governor AbdulRahman in protecting the students welfare.

Also, Civil servants in Kwara state have never had it so good as Governor Abdulrazaq’s led Administration has been paying their full monthly salary as at when due, right from the onset plus other significant benefits which they never had the opportunity to enjoy before his emergence.

Talking about lack of infrastructure in the state is laughable, no ward in all the 16 local government areas that has not benefitted infrastructure in Kwara state of today. The opposition party, who sent the President, should note that Kwarans will never go back to the wretched kwara where we can’t boast of 3 good road networks across the state. Making a comparative analysis between this current administration and the last administration is like comparing a duplex with a face me, I face you apartment. It is crystal clear that infrastructure in kwara has drastically improved.

Conclusively, It is very laughable that someone who appraises the Governor few days ago is now passing a vote of no confidence on him. It is a total dismay that NAKSS is now being controlled by set of individuals who are only after their pocket. They have shamelessly jettisoned the interest of the entire Kwara students for cheap political gain. It is our advice for them to retrace their steps as at when due for their continuous display of ignorance cum lack of valuable will only continue to sabotage the integrity of the Association which has been built for years.

Signed:

Comr. Salami Wasiu Onidugbé

Coordinator, AASSG

07063539580

Through:

Comr. Shuaib Habeeb

Publicity Secretary, AASSG

08104277064