Chief Gbenga Awoyale, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) is the President-General of the Orisun Igbomina, a socio-cultural group in the Kwara South Senatorial District. In this interview, he reacts to the current political turmoil in the state and other issues of interest. Excerpts:
What is your assessment of the current administration in Kwara State?
The situation in Kwara state is first of its kind as far as the ongoing political dispensation is concern. The state governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq , is highly focused and passionate about developing the state with tremendous projects across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He has worked beyond any successive government since the inception of the current democratic dispensation just within six months of his administration. I was surprised when I heard that the governor approved just N20million for the rehabilitation of the Ilorin township roads.
He was able to use the money judiciously and you will agree with me now that there are no potholes in the state capital unlike how the immediate past government left everything undone despite the huge amount budgeted for road projects. It is quite unfortunate that some unscrupulous elements are working hard for his failure even up to the point of preparing ahead of 2023.
Our findings have revealed that some disloyal members of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) are already working assiduously with opposition members who are loyal to the immediate past Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. There are evidences and facts to that effect as they have many cyber rats working for them on social media platforms hired to be criticising Abdulrahman’s government.
These are enough evidences to let you know that they have made up their minds to work together in 2023. Their failure started when their attempt to impose their loyal candidate to become the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly was foiled even without contributing any meaningful efforts to his political victory during the last general elections.
Instead, they used the money meant for political campaigns to enrich themselves and worked against him on so many occasions but fortunately for Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the people of Kwara State have made up their minds to join him in the liberation struggle from the aged- long wilderness of poverty, mismanagement of resources and bad governance.
Surprisingly, after failing in his speakership bid, the lawmaker has finally become a regular radio producer inciting the people against the government. However, it has come to the notice of Kwarans that this set of people who are members disloyal APC members also possess the same elements of questionable characters just like the political actor who was retired forcefully by Kwarans (Bukola Saraki) and whose wall of Jericho has been collapsed by the masses.
Why are you so much concern about Bukola Saraki’s political dynasty or was there anything between both of you ?
As a human being, I like Bukola Saraki because he is also a God’s creature but what I don’t like about him is his rude characters, selfish attitudes and enslavery policy which has drew Kwara state back among its contemporaries in Nigeria.
I have never been to him for any favour, you can ask him. Many people usually misunderstand Bukola’s attitudes with that of his father, late Dr. Olusola Saraki of blessed memory. They are two different personalities . While Baba Saraki was Pro -masses, Bukola Saraki has over the years demonstrated that he belongs to the Anti-masses bloc.
Unfortunately Bukola Saraki personally destroyed his fathers legacies. He made the man to weep profusely before he eventually died. He created avoidable hatred, division and enemity in the family before the demise of the highly respected political kingmaker whose tolerance, love and affection for the masses knows-no- bound.
He had genuine respect for the young and old, his regards for traditional institutions was superb and his love for material things was at the lowest ebb. After destroying Kwara State, Bukola Saraki went ahead the National Assembly to forcefully hijack power to become the President of the Senate.
He ended up disgracing himself after several attempts to put the Executive arms and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular to shame. He left the national assembly with no meaningful achievements. His tenure was characterized by different court cases and because of his unpatriotic and diplomatic leadership and qualities, he failed Nigerians woefully.
His father’s reign as political godfather last long due to his humility and respect for constituted authorities unfortunately, Bukola Saraki is arrogant and he couldn’t survive the heat of his bad leadership for even a decade.
Therefore, Bukola Saraki is unrepentant and he is not worthy of flying the flag of Saraki’s political dynasty. He humiliated his father to death, he denied his sister of achieving her political ambition, he acquired property more than he needed in life and set bad precedence of allowances and parting gift of houses for former governors just to suit his personal interests.
The Kwara State government recently revoked and demolished Ile-Arugbo, an acclaimed property own by the Saraki’s family. What is your take on it?
Thank you for asking this question. Infact, the issue of Ile-Arugbo is one of the most trending news globally because the family that is concerned in the matter are only crying wolves. The simple solution to the matter is for them to present evidence of payment or ownership documents of the property.
Sparing them in this case will amount to partiality by the government and let me tell you the truth, I will be first person to drag Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to court for aiding and abetting lawlessness and because the Bureau of Lands has made it known to the general public that no evidence of payment or ownership was presented by the Saraki family.
Therefore, why are they tying to lay claim to what doesn’t belong to them? It is an absurd to the mentality of entire Kwarans. Encroaching government property is even a criminal offence in the court of law.
In addition, this is a building where so many innocent lives have been wasted untimely. Infact, there is need to probe the circumstances that had led to the death of people in that house. For you to know how selfish they are, they never thought that liberation will soon come to the State so soon.
The matter at hand now is not about Saraki family or Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, it is about our dear State of Harmony, Kwara and the future of children yet unborn.
What is your reaction to the moves by the Kwara State House of Assembly to repeal the law that changed the name of Kwara State University to Olusola Saraki University?
To me, the move is in order and to be specific, it is peoples oriented. What has Saraki contributed to educational development of the State.
He was never an academician, he was never an orator neither was he was never a proprietor of any school.
Because Bukola Saraki want to honour his father whom he humiliated to death, decided to change the name of a university built with Tax payers’ money to his father’s name. He never new he has caused his father unredeemable public insults. Come to think of it, findings have revealed that the present Kwara State with Ilorin as the State capital, was created through the patriotic zeal and dogged efforts of the duo of Late Chief J. S. Olawoyin and Alhaji A.G.F. AbdulRazaq (SAN).
After 29th July, 1966 coup, Gen. Hassan Usman Kastina, the then Military Governor of the Northern Nigeria convened a meeting of leaders of thoughts in Kaduna. Chief J. S. Olawoyin and Alhaji A.G.F. AbdulRazaq (SAN) were invited to represent Ilorin Province at the meeting.
It was at one of the sessions of the meeting that Chief J. S. Olawoyin moved a motion that both Ilorin and Kabba province be merged and created as a state with headquarters at Ilorin instead of Lokoja. The motion was seconded by Alhaji A.G.F. AbdulRazaq.
On 27th May, 1967, Kwara was created as Central West State. The name was later changed to Kwara State. Major D. L. Bamigboye from Irepodun Local Government Area was then appointed as the first Military Governor.
The question is; if any of the state owned establishment is to be named after our past leaders in Kwara, what qualifies Dr. Olusola Saraki better than the great men mentioned in the history above?
Although, I saw all these lingering crises coming long before now in 2014 when Bukola Saraki planned to join APC. I knew the relationship won’t last because of the difference s in their ideologies. He has caused Baba Saraki more harms than anyone. He needs to repent and publicly apologise to Kwarans for his misdeeds.
What is the state of infrastructural development in Kwara under the current administration?
Despite huge fund earmarked for projects by the last administration, no meaningful success was recorded by the Abdulfatah Ahmed-led government. There were potholes all over the state capital and he eventually established IFK-Fund which was used as conduit pipe to siphon government money.
To the glory of God, no potholes in Ilorin again and most of the abandoned projects have been completed across the State by the Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s government in less than 3-6months in office.
The past government has crippled the popular amusement park which is one of the heritage of Kwara state. It has become a jungle and hideout for miscreants. In fact, with my age, I remembered visiting amusement park when I was young during festivals.
It is our hope that the current government will revisit the ownership process of this property and return it back to its appropriate shape among other heritage.
For instance, projects the dual carriage road along Old Jebba road, State Secretariat township roads across Kwara south and Kwara North have been completed while the multi-billionaire Geri Alimi underpass constructed by Ahmed-led government is currently undergoing renovation by the current administration.
A 24 years old acclaimed husband, Mr. Kashif Abdulkareem, was on Thursday arraigned before a Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin for allegedly abducting a 21 year-old lady and carried out a marriage without parents’ consent.
