Glamour in Abuja, Bloodshed at Home: The Story of Gov Abdulrazaq’s Rulership in Kwara

By Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir

Kwara’s insecurity crisis, particularly in Baruten and Kaiama LGAs and other parts of Kwara, is a stark reflection of Governor Abdulrazaq’s failed leadership. The recent abduction of Barrister Elizabeth Arinde, Head of the Legal Department at Oke Ero Local Government Area, alongside the Director of Personnel Management (DPM) Oke-Ero Local Government Area, Alhaji Musbau Amuda, is a grim reminder of the state’s insecurity. Abdulrazaq’s government has been accused of negligence, with critics arguing that billions of naira allocated for security votes are being misused, while citizens’ safety is compromised. The governor’s priorities seem skewed towards political maneuver and Abuja glamour, rather than ensuring peace and security in Kwara.

The people of Kwara North and Kwara South are calling out for help, but their cries seem to go unheard. It is time for Abdulrazaq to prioritize the welfare and safety of the people instead of pursuing political illusions and obstructing the construction of the Emir of Ilorin’s Palace Pavilion and road projects initiated by other individuals.

Kwara deserves leaders who will deliver peace, security, and genuine development, not one who hides behind security votes and political hypocrisy.

If Kwara State’s recent insecurity crisis in Kwara North, particularly in Baruten and Kaiama LGAs, is not a glaring indictment of Governor Abdulrazaq’s reckless governance, then nothing else is. Several innocent lives have been lost, families are crying out for help, and yet, this so-called “leader” remains MIA — hiding behind billions of naira of security votes he fritters away each month from federal allocations, while the people’s safety is abandoned to bandits, terrorists, kidnappers and rustlers.

It’s a shame that Kwara, a region historically known for peace and stability, is now a battleground for banditry and kidnapping. These criminals are thriving because of the government’s negligence — an absence of proactive security measures, a lack of strategic response, and a government that prefers to sit on security votes rather than use them to protect citizens. The recent charge from the federal government, urging states to utilize their security votes effectively, only further exposes Abdulrazaq’s irresponsibility. He has billions at his disposal, yet he continues to fold his arms while his people are under siege.

The cries of the people in Kwara North, Kwara South and even in the Emirate for peace and security fall on deaf ears. Instead of prioritizing the safety of his people, Abdulrazaq is busy shuttling between Abuja and Aso Villa, desperately seeking favour from the President on how to subvert the wish of the people, manipulate their votes and instal his lanky as a successor, yet neglecting his primary duty — ensuring peace in his own backyard. His double-faced approach and hypocrisy are laid bare; he is more interested in political power and Abuja glamour than in safeguarding the lives and property of Kwarans.

It is high time Abdulrazaq stopped the grandstanding and faced the reality — Kwara is bleeding, and he is the one responsible for the current state of chaos. Kidnappings, cattle rustling, banditry, and violence are tearing through Kwara’s peace, yet he remains indifferent, perhaps counting his political gains while the people suffer.

Kwara’s legacy is not built on cosmetic projects along Ahmadu Bello Way in GRA or empty promises. It is rooted in security, stability, harmony and development. Abdulrazaq should find time to sit back in Kwara, govern with sincerity, and stop jumping around Abuja like a wandering politician seeking empty favours. His failure to secure Kwara’s peace is a betrayal of the people’s trust and a direct reflection of his gross mismanagement.

Until he prioritizes the welfare and safety of his people, Kwara will continue to suffer, and his name will be remembered as the governor who watched his people drown in insecurity while he chased political mirages. Kwara deserves leaders who will deliver peace, security, and genuine development — not one who hides behind security votes and political hypocrisy.

May Kwara’s troubled land find peace, and may its people rise above this avoidable chaos.

Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir writes from Ilorin, Kwara State. He’s the Press Officer on Local Matters to Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki.