By Abdulyekeen Mohd Bashir.
As predicted, in the ongoing play by Kwara state government, the third character has entered the stage, justifying his pay by attempting to dismiss that there are no issues in what the Press Officer to Dr. Saraki on local matters wrote as response to what Ogbeni Rafiu Ajakaye wrote. This self-appointment as a custodian of issues and deciding what has merits or not should stop by Abdullateef and other “unsmart” individuals around him.
The funny thing is that Ajakaye said nothing new in his publication. They are a mere collation of propagandas that precedes the emergence of this governmentare and still retained by elements employed by the State.
So, it is already a settled discussion long ago, or what is new in what Ajakaye said? In the absence of anything new to say, and expectation that people are now familiar with the regular drama from Ogbeni CPS, it is not necessary to waste efforts in that regard.
It is a game of sand, let him play it alone, we have moved past that. Only Government appointees are making mountain of what Ajakaye wrote, have we not heard them before? He should get creative and come up with new issues, instead of recycling like someone supervising a waste management project.
However, Abdul raised important questions in his response to Ajakaye, away from the politics the third clown and his principal are obsessed with. He said Dr. Buk,ola Saraki durin,g his time built 10 new estates, which enabled low income earners and civil servants to become homeowners. Hence, he asked, how many civil servants have become homeowners under Arakunrin Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in the last 5 years, or that is not part of Arakunrin Abdulrahman’s urbanisation plan; who is on course to his 6th year in Office. This implies that that it is remaining 2 years for the third clown, Ogbeni and Arakunrin to make whatever difference they want to make. Clock is ticking.
Also, he men mentioned that Saraki opened 35 major roads within Ilorin to promote the urbanisation drive of the city, the electrification of homes, among others. In the same publication, the POLM to Saraki raised that HE, Dr. Bukola Saraki established Kwara State Housing Corporation, Surveyor General Office, Land Information System, Bureau of Land and Kwara Geographic Information System, which marks effort to institutionalise urbanisation policy for the State. He proceeded by asking, apart from demolition of opponent properties and frequent hawking of the policy in the media, what action has Arakunrin Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s taken in adding to the enviable precedence set by Saraki in this regard?, Even Fubara ,that is new has flagged off 100,000 unit of houses in Port Harcourt. There is Muahmmadu Buhari Estate in Ogun State as well, housing project of the Ogun State Government.
Questions were raised on the money accrued from Excess Crude Account during the administration of Dr. Bukola and Abdulfatah, amounting to N50bn that were handed over to this Government by FG, can Abdullateef tell us what Arakunrin Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq did with it?
Arakunrin Abdulrahman is still in government, and until he leaves, we can’t know for sure what he has cornered. However, more than anything, we know he is awarding contracts to appointees, family members and proxies. Some are even saying it as a rumour that his sister may be part of the shareholders in BUA. Although, we are the one that get mostly called as data boys, but if we can offer Abdullateef, one of the data boys recognised by government via an appointment some advice, we would recommend that he should start thinking about some other things that are meaningful to commit his life to. It is less than three years to go. By now, he should start searching for things that can give meaning to his life beyond defending the government; I am a teacher by occupation, and Abdullateef has no occupation, politics is not an occupation, there must be something to return to even if the pay is humble โ as long as you can find meaning.
The demolition of Hon. MM’s property remains wrong from all front. In addition, Hon. MM is a Chieftain of APC, and HE, Dr. Bukola Saraki’s statement are mere empathy towards him. Hon. MM could as well be your Boss tomorrow once Arakunrin Abdulrahman has no use for you again after 2027. You should at least pick lessons from those that fell yesterday, and thread softly. The demolition is political, and using the former Governor of Kwara State, HE, Abdulfatah Ahmed whom you denigrate when convenient as passport and justification for the demolition won’t work, the public can see through your folly!
Abdul Abdul also emphasized that you don’t need to demolish people’s properties to advance plans on urbanisation. This thing is not rocket science. May be one day, Abdullateef withe ll grow beyond defense of an, administration and we can see something new he will have to offer than deploying adjectives and gthe rammars against perceived adversaries of his principal. The same amount awarded for contracts in Kwara, only half of the contract the sum are used to execute exact same project size in places like Borno State; and you are here flaunting morality, which Arakunrin Abdulrahman lacks from all angle.
Abdul Abdul also raised questions around Tanke bridge that has now been rechristened as “Tanke Gada” by students around the area, people in that community saw how the project was executed, and I am sure they are still puzzled over why you shut down the facility even after struggthe ling to complete it. Go to University of Ilorin and check their procuremen,t programme, and see if K,wara unthe der present leadership isn’t number one reference point as one of the worst State with procurement procedures. Abdul Abdul also raised question around the government change of contractor for ICC. The manner and controversy that marred Kwara Hotel also validated the position of such topics. He raised questions around renovating a school with millions and a pulling a segment of its fence barely few months after, and your government still grandstand as being frugal.
Yesterday, NBS didn’t enlist Kwara as one of the States that has attracted foreign investment, and one wonders what Arakunrin Abdulrahman has been doing with his frequent trips with the President, mere photo ops?
While we have our differences, I am sad that the administration of Arakunrin Abdulrahman Abdulrathe zaq is the first you witnessed and has opportunity to work with. I sincerely worry over the mentality in which you are going to ,use to approach the future, but I pray for you my dear brother, may you find liberation elsewhere as you journey in life.
Abdulyekeen, Mohd Bashir, a Kwara born political analyst writes from Ibadan.
