By Abdulqaudri Mahmud
When Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s adversaries want to give their reasons of why he would not be re-elected in the coming 2023 gubernatorial election in Kwara state, they would mention some enemies of the State who left him because he didn’t give them access to the state’s treasury or coffers. They would say he doesn’t know how to manage people. But the question I ask them is, why are people still with him if you say he doesn’t know how to manage people? This harmless question usually shuts their stinking mouths.
The same people they claim left AbdulRazaq because he couldn’t manage them went to form another party, and after some months, they fought dirty to the extent that some of them exited the party to form another party. These are the characters the governor’s dolt adversaries believe left him because he couldn’t manage them. Why were they not able to manage themselves after leaving AA? The truth of the matter is that these people can’t manage their ego, greed and selfishness.
Some of these people joined the Otoge movement not because of the love of Kwara state but because of their selfish interest. They had thought AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s emergence would give them the opportunity to steal from the state’s treasury like the previous governments gave them. But when AA said it wouldn’t happen under his leadership, they turned their back against him, and left APC when the internal crisis they initiated boomeranged.
What Governor AbdulRazaq’s enemies who have turned themselves to political analysts fail to understand is that it’s the Kwarans that will determine if he will be re-elected or not. It’s not some politicians who are fighting him because of their selfish interest. It’s not some politicians who want him to do things in the old ways (the government of the few). And Kwarans have said they’re with him because his government is theirs (ijoba mekunu). They say Ramoni o s’ekan si. Meaning, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is going to do one more term.
Kwarans are feeling the good works of the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq government. Unlike the previous governments that denied them the dividends of democracy, they’re now enjoying it under AbdulRazaq regardless of political affiliation. And this is one good thing about this government. You don’t need to be a member of the APC before you can benefit from the empowerment programmes this government does through KWASSIP.
Kwarans are also feeling the good works of the AA-led government in education and health sectors. They know the terrible conditions these sectors were before AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was sworn in in 2019 and how they are now. They know how horrible the structure of our schools and roads were and how they are now. Also, they know how the civil servants were badly treated and how they’re being treated now. Aside the fact that this government implemented the N30,000 minimum wage, it also promotes the civil servants who are due for promotion. Promotion in the last regime was politicized and didn’t attract cash-backing.
These and many others are why Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq will be re-elected in next year’s gubernatorial election. His re-election will be a reward for his allegiance and absolute loyalty to Kwarans since he was elected in 2019. Besides, one good turn, they say deserves another.
Abdulqaudri Mahmud writes from Ilorin East LGA, Zango Ward, Ilorin Kwara state