By Rotimi Oladipo
As the race for the Kwara state government house commences we have witnessed some tentative "shots" fired amongst supporters and identified candidates alike.
However, i saw a very insightful interview recently in which part of the report card of the incumbent Kwara state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, was being inadvertently written by one of the gubernatorial aspirants under his party, the APC.
Governor Abdulrasaq has been criticised for the high level of insecurity in the state. He has not also covered himself in glory with his response after every breach of the peace and security in the state.
The governor is being made jest of in many quarters as not having any legacy project other than a flyover bridge in the state capital and many statues scattered all over the state. In 8 years Kwara has, sadly, not moved to the next level of development.
In an Arise TV interview one of the governorship aspirants under the ruling party,
Dr Tajudeen Oluwatoyin Alabi, made a number of promises as his deliverables if given the chance to be governor. Amongst other things he said the following, and quoted verbatim here:
1. "Ensuring that better life returns to Kwara"
2. "Reduce poverty and restore prosperity"
3. "To ensure that insecurity is nipped in the bud by changing the approach by which we do things now."
4. "reduce the number of out of school children from 22% to about 5%"
The foregoing is an admittance that the performance of the incumbent leaves much to be desired. Dr Alabi has inadvertently said he would improve on things. This is a direct indictment on the incumbent. It is a bad report card by a party member.
Hence, the opposition is justified in its non-performance criticism of the incumbent. Kwara deserves better. The era of former governor Bukola Saraki seemed to be the best since 1999 in terms of development. We can recall the following legacy projects, among others, under him.
1. Kwara State University Malete
2. International Aviation College
3. Ilorin International Airport reopened to flights and now the 5th busiest in Nigeria
4 Agric revolution- Tsonga farms and Malete Youth Integrated Training Farm
5. Massive road rehabilitation all over the state
6. Re-energisation of the Ganmo Power substation and connecting over 3,750 rural communities to the national power grid with up to 18 hours of electricity daily.
Indeed Kwara state needs to be saved from the present group of charlatans. Kwara must progress.
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