Date: 2021-02-12

...Kwara South laments 20 years of neglect

People of northern senatorial district of Kwara state have resolved to pitch their tent with any political party that fields an indigene of the zone as its governorship candidate in 2023.

The zone therefore urged its people to key into this sole objective, noting the fact that 'power is never served a-la-cart.'

In a communique signed by stakeholders from the zone, the Kwara North Forum enjoined the people to rise up to the challenge and do everything possible and legal to clinch the governorship seat of the state in the year 2023.

The zone also one stressed the need to correct the imbalance and lopsidedness against the zone with immediate effect.

The stakeholders also discussed other matters affecting it political and economic emancipation, noting that the people of the zone remain aggrieved regarding the appointment of the current Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University.

The zone alleged that the recent appointment of the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of International Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurship Centre (IVTEC), Ajasse-Ipo, was unethical, compromised and therefore unacceptable as the candidate that came last (4th position) in the interview process was appointed.

The communique reads: "Kwara North shall continue to interact and collaborate with well-meaning groups and people of the other two senatorial zones of the state regarding the 2023 governorship seat of the state.

"The 2021 budget of Kwara state is not only arithmetically unbalanced but also politically unfair to the Kwara North Senatorial Zone and should therefore be reviewed to correct the imbalance and lopsidedness against Kwara North Senatorial Zone with immediate effect.

"The process that cumulated into the approval by the Kwara state House of Assembly for the N35 billion bond is fraught with irregularities, self-serving and did not meet with the regulatory requirements of raising such bonds as required by the Debt Management Office of Nigeria. The bond should therefore be discountenanced with to save Kwara State from future financial burden that shall lead to its bankruptcy and other financial embarrassments.

"The agricultural development plan recently put in place by the Kwara state Government is shrouded in secrecy in terms of cost and location of projects as It is not linked to the state's 2021 budget nor the medium term expenditure framework of the state and should therefore be withdrawn and redesigned with the input of the General public and the farming communities in the state."

Also group known as Kwara South Vision has decried underdevelopment the senatorial district.

The group lamented the over 20 years of the area's worrisome and unacceptable socioeconomic and political development.

The group said it was poised to reverse the ugly situation by mobilising the people in the 83 wards that make up the senatorial district towards choosing and electing the right people to represent them in future elections, according to a statement by the Group's General Secretary, Elder Wale Soladoye; "The group reviewed the socioeconomic and political development of the Kwara South District in the past 20 years and concluded that there was nothing to write home about.

"The group, among other things, pledged to consult widely with stakeholders in the District in order to ensure unity of purpose towards achieving the developmental goals," the statement reiterated.