Date: 2021-06-02

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Asiwaju Tajudeen Abioye has congratulated the people of Kwara State for having a new lease of life under the administration of governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrasaq in the past 730 days.

He said with huge dividends of democracy and human development policies and programmes of the Abdulrazaq's government, Kwarans are reaping the benefits of Otoge revolution through which they ensure a change of government in Kwara State.

While appreciating the unprecedented simplicity style of Mallam Abdulrahaman Abdulrasaq as the Governor of this state, he commended the governor for achieving so much within a short period of two years in the areas of infrastructural renewal, innovation, security, intergovernmental relationship, economic and political developments.

Hon. Abioye, a former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday said Governor Abdulrazaq inherited a state in a comatose condition with myriad of problems, raging from battered economy, insecurity, unemployment and unimpressive half and quarter salaries to the civil servants and decayed infrastructures facilities all over the state.

He said the people of Kwara will not forget how the governor and his cabinet commenced rebuilding the state by sacrificing heavily, in terms of personal benefits, entitlements and privileges, and using the minimum resources to govern the state.

"His approach to governance was not for vendetta but to serve, hence he displayed high level of maturity to handle the fragile peace in the state. In spite the gross misconduct everywhere, the Governor decided handle the impunity he met with utmost caution and care.

"The strong tolerance level this Government exhibits in continuing all the abandoned projects of the past administrations without changing the contractors was second to none. The Government shows unprecedented understanding of continuity in government. This is contrary to what the state witnessed when Gov. Bukola Saraki took over from Gov. Lawal in 2013.

"The Abdulrahaman led administration handles security situation with high sense of responsibility and professionalism. For two years running. the administration has been rated high in security management. This is a departure from the era of mass killings in the name of armed robbery, the era when the rituals killings dominated the state. This government has been prompt to curtain any security challenges in the state since inception.

"We have been witnessing infrastructural revolution in the state, and this cut across all the length and breath of the entire state, this is also unprecedented. The serious national economic crisis and Covid 19 induced economic hardship not withstanding.

"When many states in the country are finding it difficult to pay workers salaries, this government is not only paying full salaries, but pays before every month end. The government also embarked on mass recruitment of teachers and civil servants that has been adjudge the best and most transparent in the history of the state in the last four decades. .

"The magic talent of this administration came to fore, when infrastructural facilities were springing up in every corners of the state. This is marvelous!

"Before the assumption of the new administration, Kwara State had been blacklisted by many federal government agencies for her inabilities to fulfill her obligations to various organs of government that would in turn bring more dividends of democracy to our people.

"But, Governor Abdulrahaman was able to cut cost of governance which gave him good opportunities to paid up all the outstanding debts and balances to various organs of Federal Government. As a result of this, our state has returned to the comity of responsible states in the nation", said Abioye. He added that the Otoge struggle that brought this government to power was symbolic and came with a lot of changes and challenges. The hopes were high and expectations were abound.

He said "today, we now have a state that is free for all, the state where every individual has a voice, a state where civil servants opinions matters, the state where traditional institution is referred, a state where gender balancing is hallmarked, a state where politicians now has freedom of association and can sought and get patronage at the federal level with or without the state Governor's consent and support. "A state where once such benefits particularly, interns of political appointment materialised, the state government will be the first to congratulate such. Incredible!"

While calling on all indigenes of the state irrespective of party leanings to support Governor Abdulrazaq to achieve more success, he charged members of the ruling APC in the state to close ranks and end all political misunderstanding.

"Indeed, we have all laboured and sacrificed to arrive at this pleasant junction, this is the very best time to fly the kite of unity together. The unity of purpose in order to consolidate our achievement.

"This is the time all hands must be on deck to strengthen on our gains. I therefore appeal to His Excellency, Mal. Abdulrahaman Abdulrasaq, as the leader, not only for the APC in Kwara, but leader and father of all Kwarans, to please not foreclosed the the reconciliation with any group in the state,” he appealed.