By Kasum Rahman Bileola
Last month, when I wrote an article titled “Recent Federal Appointments: Mr. Governor, Kwarans Are Not Deceived,” some loyalists of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq found it difficult to live with the truth. Or maybe it was the revelation and the boldness to articulate it that they found uncomfortable.
However, recent hot exchange between the Governor’s camp and that of the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, has vindicated my position. It has also supported all the points made in my earlier article.
The bone of contention between the two sides was the appointment of two Kwarans into the board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC). Alhaja Bilqis Jumoke Sanni, popularly known as Alasonla, a key loyalist of Sen. Ashiru, was appointed as Executive Director of the new commission. At the same time, Reverend Bunmi Olusona is now a board member of the commission. Both appointees are from Kwara South.
Immediately, the Senate confirmed the names of the two board members, the governor quickly instructed his media aide to issue a press statement. In the statement, he positioned himself as the one who got the duo the jobs as “reward for loyalty, consistency, and support for the party over the years”.
The rush to the press with that claim was targeted at putting Ashiru in a tight corner. It was aimed at denying him the opportunity to be appreciated by his constituents for bringing the good posts to Kwara South. Remember that the governor has vowed that he does not have time to be lobbying for jobs for anybody. Now, he wants to position himself as the hero of Kwara South. He wants to pose as the one who brings home goodies for them.
It was also a claim strategically made to set the Offa people against their son, Ashiru. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq sure knows what his devious plans are aimed to achieve. He was sure that if he came out with a press statement making that false claim, Ashiru would have no option but to just grumble in silence. He wanted to force the Senator to accept his fate to avoid a direct clash with the new terror and emperor in APC and Kwara State.
Unfortunately, he miscalculated. People have become wiser. Nobody, not even a deputy senate leader, will allow himself to be intimidated and ridiculed by a governor who only cares about himself. Shortly after the governor’s statement hit town, Ashiru countered it.
From the headline in the counter press statement, the intention of the Senator was clear. He was ready to correct the lies and wrong impression created by the governor. “Sen. Ashiru’s Ally, Hajia Bilqis Jumoke Sanni (Alhaja Alasonla) Appointed Executive Director of NCDC”, the Senator screamed. He also followed with a rider on the appointment of Reverend Olusona.
The Senator then went on to emphatically state that his “influence in securing these strategic appointments underscores his dedication to inclusive governance and equitable opportunities for the people of Kwara South”. That part of the press statement was aimed at making it clear that the governor should not claim the glory of an achievement that he did not work for.
Anybody who studied the appointments into the various development commissions will see a trend. President Bola Tinubu deliberately conceded these appointments to senators and the House of Representatives. This is because the legislators were the ones who initiated the idea of ensuring that each of the six geopolitical zones has a development commission.
That is why in almost all the zones where the current Senate and House of Representatives just passed the bill for the creation of development commission, several of the chairmen, managing directors, executive directors, and other board members were those nominated for the president by the legislators, particularly, the principal officers from the various zones. Thus, Ashiru, as a deputy senate leader, also got the two slots for his constituents.
One would have expected the governor, in his press statement and behind the scenes, to thank and appreciate Ashiru. This is because the senator brought these appointments and thus helped to compensate key party loyalists. Instead, the governor wanted to claim he made these appointments possible and that the beneficiaries, as well as the people, should be grateful to him. He must have felt seriously humiliated, ridiculed, and demeaned by that press statement by Ashiru.
Ashiru’s press statement is, however, also a clear signal that there is no longer a good relationship between the governor and the Senator. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has now declared war on Ashiru. The same thing he had done to Sen. Soliu Mustapha. The third senator from the northern district, Sen. Umar Sadiq Suleiman, is still tolerating the governor because he is hoping he will support his gubernatorial ambition in 2027.
Now, this recent exchange between the governor and Senator Ashiru has vindicated my position. It has validated every word in my article published in the media last month. For some of us, we are only writing what we see and know to be facts. We aim to get the governor to change his weird ways. We want him to act as a true leader.
In that article, I made it clear that the governor of Kwara State has not been able to attract good federal appointments for the benefit of qualified indigenes of the state. I reasoned that this may be as a result of deliberate action, lack of the much-needed influence, or a mere sadistic disposition. I also stated that what the governor has specialized in doing, in a cavalier manner, is grandstanding. He often makes false claims through his media aides and social media influencers. He is always trying to appropriate the few appointments that some Kwarans got through other sources or their own competence.
It should also be known that there are reports in Abuja that the governor works against some Kwarans and stops their opportunities to secure federal appointments. And these are posts that these Kwarans are qualified for and deserve by all considerations.
Some of his social media people have attacked me several times on different platforms since that last article was published. They did not find it funny that I provided valid statistics on the number of influential appointments that Kwara State used to enjoy when the Saraki group was in charge.
Of course, they could not fault these statistics. I also demonstrated how the former Governor and Senate President fought for Kwarans to be appointed into key offices at the federal level. I gave out the information that, as an opposition leader, Saraki is still getting plum positions for Kwarans in Abuja. I noted that somebody like me does not feel it is morally right for me to oppose the group and still sneak back to its leader to request his assistance in getting federal appointments.
Well, I have stated what I know to be true. Latest events on the NCDC appointments have proved me right. I am not seeking to win any trophy by the exposition in the write-ups. What I desire is a change for the better and an improvement by the governor. How can a state governor who is a member of the national ruling party find it difficult to influence key appointments for his people? Why is Abdulrahman, the current chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, not able to attract good offices to his people?
The governor should change his ways. It is only selfishness and wickedness that can explain his current stance. And it will soon be time for him to reap the rewards of his present indifference.
Bileola writes from Ilorin
