In this piece, ABDULLAHI OLESIN, reports the controversy and endorsements that have greeted the town hall meetings held in some parts of Kwara by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in the state ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has commenced subtle but strategic campaign ahead of the 2023 general elections. He has been holding town hall meetings in towns and villages in the state.
AbdulRazaq, the APC leader in the state, doubles as the gubernatorial candidate of the party for next year’s general elections.
The town hall meetings which had been held in two communities; Offa and Oro; both in Kwara South, proved effective as stakeholders, including the traditional rulers, community leaders, labour leaders; and religious leaders have agreed AbdulRazaq deserves a second term going by his record of achievements in the last three and a half years.
But, the major opposition party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against the governor using public funds to hold town hall meetings.
And it’s not surprising. PDP was the former ruling party in the state with former Senate president and state governor, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as leader of the party. Interestingly, Saraki had led APC to victory in the state in 2015. But by 2019, following Saraki’s return to PDP, AbdulRazaq, riding the Otoge campaign, retained the state for APC.
Ever since, PDP has been trying to return to power in the state. However, at a town hall meeting held in Offa on Thursday, Governor AbdulRazaq said there are solid footprints of his administration in every part of the state — whether in education, road infrastructure, water, health, employments, gender inclusion and youth engagement, safety nets for the poor, and economic projects designed to grow the state.
Occupied by royalties, academics, community leaders, marketers and artisans,the town hall was attended by thousands of people as the O.D.U Hall and its precincts were filled to the brim.
Some of dignitaries at the event included the Kwara South Senator Lola Ashiru; House of Assembly members, Hon. Gbenga Yusuf and Hon. Razaq Owolabi; cabinet members; former State High Court Judge, Hon. Justice Raheem Orilonise; TIC Chairmen Offa and Oyun LGs, Hon. Thomas Jare Oladotun and Dr. Waheed Olaitan Ibrahim; representative of Olofa of Offa, Chief Yinusa Oyeyemi; National Vice Chairman Offa Descendants Union (ODU), Alh Lateef Bello; Chief Imam Offa, Sheikh Muyideen Hussein; Offa CAN Chairman, Apostle S.A Akinremi; APC leaders and stalwarts.
The governor spoke after top officials took turns to reel out his government’s achievements. He reassured the people of Offa and Oyun local government areas that the administration will continue to prioritise their welfare.
“I have listened carefully to the presentations of our team and the requests from the Offa community. We will certainly do more to continue to serve you. From day one, Offa people stood and continue to stand with this government. I thank you for your vote in the last elections. We pray and encourage you to sustain that support for us,” he said.
AbdulRazaq, who reiterated the level of decay the administration inherited, and the extent it has gone in fixing the sectoral problems, urged the populace to be patient with the government as it improves their access to basic infrastructure.
He said the government has made provision in the next year’s budget to broaden investment in local industry, especially on cashew processing where the Offa community has a comparative advantage.
The governor promised to fast-track work on the Offa/Ikotun road project; will soon commence the upgrade of Offa township stadium; and intervene on the challenge of waste management system.
Senator Lola Ashiru, for his part, said Offa/Oyun people are conversant with the good works of the Governor in the town, and are willing to repay such with their overwhelming vote in the 2023 poll.
Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Femi Agbaje, recalled that Offa had had access to public water at least eight years before the governor was elected. He said the administration has restored public water system in the town, while approving upgrade of the water facilities in Ojoku, Erin-Ile, and Ira.
Chairman of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Raheem Sheu Adaramaja, said not less than 286 Offa indigenes benefitted from the teaching appointments of the state government in 2021, while several schools have been renovated in the town along with the KwaraLearn initiative.
State Commissioner for Communications Bode Towoju said 1724 aged people in Offa and 544 traders benefitted from Owo Arugbo and Owo Isowo under the Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP), while at least four persons benefited from the recently disbursed Kwapreneur 2.0 grants in the state.
Representative of the Olofa of Offa, Chief Yinusa Oyeyemi said they were happy to host the governor whom he called an action governor.
At another town hall meeting in Oro, Irepodun local government area, frontline traditional rulers, statesmen and union leaders said Governor AbdulRazaq deserves another tenure based on his achievements.
Speakers took turns to acknowledge projects by the administration in their areas.
The governor again touted the achievements of the administration, acknowledged the support of the people, and pledged to work on various request of the communities.
Senator Ashiru and Rep Olawuyi said the strides of the APC administration are clear to the blind, with different projects spread across every part of the state.
While Prince Olajide Titiloye, spoke favorably on behalf of the Oloro of Oro Kingdom, Sarkin Kara of Ajase Market Sheu Garba requested AbdulRazaq to help renovate the market and provide them with motorised borehole.
The government team, comprising the Finance Commissioner, Olasumbo Florence; Works and Transport Commissioner, Rotimi Suleiman Iliasu, Health Commissioner, Dr Raji Razaq took turns to state the specifics of what the administration has achieved across sectors, including education, healthcare, road infrastructure, social investment, revenue generation and allocation, as well as the plan to move Kwara up the ladder of economic growth in Nigeria.
However, the publicity secretary of the PDP in the state, Prince Tunji Moronfoye, said the governor’s action was waste of state scarce resources on frivolous, political jamborees.
“The series of wasteful and ill advised “Town hall meetings” being carried on by the Kwara APC regime in some selected towns in Kwara state are nothing but collective, back slapping, political events.
“These unfortunate events are loaded with tactically impoverished citizens, who are only there to collect the meagre amounts that would be made available to them after the arranged “Town Hall meetings.
“We at the PDP put it to the All Progressives Congress (APC) party regime led by Mal AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, that these “Town Hall meetings” are actually political campaigns, funded by scarce public funds. These are funds that could have been employed to build more schools, train and retrain our teachers, hire more doctors or provide drinking water to communities in dire need,” Moronfoye stated.
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