By Mumini Abdulkareem
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has said the return of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the dynasty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was justified, adding that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has nothing to offer Kwarans except failed promises and expectations.
The Governor who addressed party leaders and supporters on Friday in Bode-Sadu during a stakeholders meeting, noted that associating with the APC before and during the 2015 election took Kwara to a new low characterised with victimisation and disappointment.
Represented by the Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Alhaji Toyin Olokooba, Governor Ahmed said the return to power of the PDP at the central level holds a better future for the state and its citizens.
According to him, most of the issues raised by party members like rehabilitation of schools, rehabilitation and provision of boreholes would be addressed before the coming election and called on the people not to fall for the deception of the opposition party because โThe PDP is where God is.
โKwara state has not enjoyed dividends of democracy from the APC led Federal Government compared to when Bukola Saraki was the Governor. We thought being with the APC at the federal level would make things better for the state and its people but expectations were dashed and we had to leave which has been justified.
โGovernor Abdulfatah Ahmed was once a Commissioner of Finance then and avenues for funding of the government then were not limited to federal allocation which is the only monthly revenue to the state from the central government.
โThe local government can hardly pay salaries not to talk of projects. The reason why we left the APC to PDP was because of the failed promises the party made to Nigerians. We delivered all the elective seats in the State from the 193 wards, sixteen local government councils, three senators, six House of Representatives and twenty-four House of Assembly members for the APC one hundred per cent with the structure of the Saraki dynasty.
โBut how did the party pay us back for the huge contribution to the fortunes of the APC in the 2015 election. We where even denied ministerial position.
โThen local governments were saddled with the responsibility of rural roads, boreholes, school renovations among others. But now they can hardly pay salaries not to talk of projects. Look at the structure put in place by Alhaji Toyin Sansui as Ilorin West council chairman, it tells you the extent of the functionality and viability of our councils then.
But by the grace of God, we can achieve much within the remaining days of this administration and we assure you that in the next few weeks, we would address most of the issue raisedโ, he submitted.
