By Olusegun Olusola Adewara
It is quite unfortunate, though not surprising, that the Kwara State Government has once again reduced the sacred business of governance to pedestrian banter and senseless propaganda, this time commissioning the SSA on Communication, Ibraheem Abdullateef, to throw jabs at former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, a man whose towering political legacy continues to inspire millions across Nigeria and beyond.
At a time when the people of Kwara are daily grappling with unprecedented levels of poverty, hunger, kidnapping, and social collapse, it is unfortunate that the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led administration finds its highest moment of performance in attacking a man whose shoes it has repeatedly failed to fill.
Let’s be clear, Saraki is not holding public office. Yet, almost six years out of office, he remains the obsession of Governor Abdulrahman and his foot soldiers. When the Governor and his juvenile-filled cabinet sleep, they see Saraki, when they wake up, Saraki image comes before them.
Kwarans will ask, what exactly is the reason for this inferiority-driven fixation? Could it be that Governor Abdulrahman, despite his access to the highest allocations in the history of Kwara State, still lives under Saraki’s shadow?
How does a so-called government respond to the wave of banditry in Baruten, killings in Edu, abductions in Ifelodun Irepodun, Ekiti etc , rising rate of out of school children and the almost collapse of the educational and Health sector ? Instead of policies, we get press statements. Instead of solutions, we get sponsored insults. Instead of governance, we are served propaganda
Is it Saraki that told Governor Abdulrahman not to pay pensioners in the state their entitlement? Is it Saraki that advised him to destroy KWASCDA, Kwara Express, Kwara Hotel and others? Is Saraki responsible for the backwardness in the state civil service where promotion were announced without the corresponding renumeration ? Is it Saraki that told him not to explain how Kwara internally generated revenue (IGR) and other fund are being looted through opaque contracts and wasteful projects shrouded in secrecy?
The same Saraki who, in the face of Nigeria sliding into a one-party dictatorship, raised a powerful voice of caution and appealed for unity among opposition forces. That message has been applauded across Nigeria and beyond, except in the small echo chamber where the Kwara State Government struggles to stay relevant.
Governor Abdulrahman should be more concerned about the collapse of governance under his watch. Kwara has never had it this bad. The Kwara that was handed over to him as one of the most peaceful state in 2019 has suddenly collapsed to flashpoint of terrorism and insecurity. It is so bad that the Governor himself can no longer stay in Kwara nut chose to govern the state from diaspora via WhatsApp messages. obviously , we have a Governor that rarely stay at home and and completely detached from the pain of his people.
It is ironic that this same administration is still licking its wounds from the last local government elections. While the APC resorted to daylight rigging, manipulation, and illegal manufacturing of result ,the PDP gained more popularity and public sympathy by winning the people’s hearts through grassroots mobilisation. With the outcome of that LG elections, it is clear today to people of Kwara that Governor Abdulrahman under 6 years of becoming governor has lost his goodwill and public confidence acquired through Otoge in 2019.
This government cannot compete with Saraki in legacy. It cannot match the PDP in structure. It cannot deliver governance in content. All it can do is whine, throw jabs, and divert attention from the rot it has created.
As a reminder, Dr. Saraki’s legacies are all over Kwara: from institutions like the Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre, the Kwara State University (KWASU), the Civil Service Commission reforms, health insurance, and agricultural empowerment, to road infrastructure and educational expansion. He presided over two successful governorship terms, chaired the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and led the 8th National Assembly with dignity and productivity.
Can the same be said of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq? Where is the record? Where is the impact.
It is time to stop this comedy. Governance is a serious business. The people of Kwara are not interested in sponsored smear articles, media distractions, or childish political jealousy. They want results. They want security, They want leadership. Sadly, all they have under this APC regime is propaganda, polarisation, and pain.
Governor Abdulrahman should stop hiding behind Abdullateef’s pen and face the people he swore to serve. He cannot erase Saraki’s name from history, neither can he elevate himself through deceitful comparisons. Saraki’s relevance is earned, not forced. It is built on years of selfless service, not rented social media posts.
Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyments), writes from Ilorin.
