Date: 2014-11-28

Our attention has been drawn to a ludicrous claim by the Governor of Kwara that his open rejection by the good people of Kaiama was an attack sponsored by the opposition. While we do not intend to join issues with the embattled Governor, it is incumbent on us to set the records straight, at least for the sake of truth and posterity.

On Wednesday, November 26, 2014, the governor went to Kaiama allegedly to flag off the construction of Kaiama-Kishi Road, in a last minute desperate bid to win the heart of the same people his government has neglected for the past three and a half years.

After the flag-off that was simply staged to get the votes of the people of Kaiama in the forthcoming elections, the governor rode on his chariot of arrogance to the palace of the Emir of Kaiama to get the traditional title of 'Jarman of Kaiama.' In what many term as ironic, the title 'Jarman' means 'warrior'. How can someone who has neglected you to suffer for so long be made your warrior?

Irked by the unwholesome display, the Kaiama people started chanting songs to boo the governor. In a video that went viral online almost instantly, the people of Kaiama can be seen chanting "Fatai, ole; Bukola, ole." To save face, the governor and many of his aides started claiming they were attacked by political thugs as against the fact that it was a spontaneous reaction of a people betrayed by their own government.

No done with its tissue of lies, the APC also alleged that it was a member of the PDP State Executive Council (SEC) from Kaiama that masterminded the disgrace of the governor. We make bold to say that there is no member of our SEC that is from Kaiama Local Government Area or even neighbouring communities. There is no better thing that put a lie to the APC's allegation than this.

Promises are the greatest dividends of democracy the Kaiama people has benefited from the current government.

The governor's rejection by the overwhelming majority of the youths of Kaiama is a reflection of the frustration of the people of Kwara North in particular and Kwarans in general. Education and health infrastructures in Kaiama are left to rot while human and agricultural resources waste away. But instead of fixing those within its reach, the governor went and started a cosmetic road project six months into the completion of its tenure. This is the truth that the government and its lying party, the APC has refused to bear all along, until the people’s anger was visited on them on the fateful date.

Unfortunately, we are not sure that the government of APC has learnt any lesson at all. Judging by the rabid reaction of the government and the Kwara APC, it is crystal clear that the government would rather find excuses for its failure than do a soul searching and apologise for the years of neglect that Kwarans, particularly people from the north of Kwara, have suffered in the hands of the APC-led state government.

We therefore advise the governor to pick his fight carefully and not order the arrest innocent Kwarans who grew tired of hearing promises.

Rex Olawoye
Kwara PDP Publicity Secretary