KWSG, Saraki trade words over roads construction
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Media Office of former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described the claim by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration that it has constructed more roads than the past administrations as “false and another clear example of the Governor’s obsession with the personality and achievements of one of his predecessors”.
In a statement signed by Mr. Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, the Press Officer to Saraki on Local Matters, the Media Office also described the administration’s claim on road construction as “a dubious attempt to divert public attention from the security crisis in the state, and on which the Governor and his administration have proved to have no clue on how to respond”.
The Media Office called on the handlers of the Kwara State Government to provide details on all the roads the administration claimed to have constructed and to indicate how many of them opened the way to new areas and brought development to hitherto uncharted towns.
“It is easy to grandstand and make dubious claims with figures of Kilometres of roads. Are we talking about just pouring asphalt on existing roads as achievements? If scrapping already tarred, smooth roads and putting new asphalt on them at huge cost with all the contracts awarded to one big contractor for obvious reasons best known to the governor is what the Abdulrahman Abdulrahman administration is celebrating, then its understanding of development, is warped, narrow, and infantile.
“Again, the Kwara State governor knows quite well that what he called road construction cannot compare to what past administrations in the state did. It is a mockery of the phrase ‘road construction’. And that is why the so-called ‘road construction’ has not brought development or economic prosperity to the state.
“We also, once again, want to call public attention to this Kwara State governor’s obsession with the name of Saraki, a former governor who left the office in a dignified blaze of glory 15 years ago. Why are Governor Abdulrahman and his handlers always so incensed when they hear the name of Saraki? If it is true that Saraki did not do well as they want the people to believe, why is his past administration always the standard with which the present administration measures its success? This obsession with Saraki has led the government to make several mistakes while leaving the substance to chase the immaterial.
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Abdulrahman Abdulazaq is resorting to this obsession with Saraki because he has no manifesto with which he campaigned to become governor of the state. He did not promise the people anything. His campaign theme in 2019 was built around the scaremongering of “don’t vote for Saraki and his party. They have been in government for too long”. He promised the people nothing to become elected as Governor. His focus is also on Saraki’s achievements since that was the theme of his manifesto.
“It is also noticeable that the media handlers of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s administration are always seeking ways to divert attention from serious issues. Let us ask them: Is the issue of scrapping of roads and pouring asphalt on them which they termed ‘road construction’ more important than the security of lives and properties which is at the lowest levels in the state at this particular period?
“Daily, people in the state are being killed, kidnapped, displaced from their homes and farms, while their properties are also being assailed. This negative development came with the incompetence and inability of the governor to think ahead and be proactive when some of our neighbouring states battle a security crisis. Now, the criminals from other states have found a thriving atmosphere under a careless, clueless administration in our state.
“Is this the insecure state that Saraki left in 2011? Even when Boko Haram was operating at its peak in the North East and other parts of the North when Saraki was governor, his administration made the state a haven for residents and visitors. We need to ask Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq if he is happy with the state of security in Kwara State under his watch.
“However, the public should be wary of the constant resort to diversionary tactics so as not to exacerbate the security crisis plaguing the state. All these unwarranted attacks on individuals and making false claims are cheap propaganda tactics that will be rejected by the generality of the people.
“We call on the Kwara State Governor and other members of the administration to focus on key issues that will bring genuine and sustainable peace and development to the people. They should stop all these ineffective diversionary tactics”, the Media Office stated.
