ABDURRAHMAN ABDURRAZZAQ,THE NEW HOPE FOR KWARA

DAL INTERNATIONAL NEWS Thursday 30th May, 2019

Facts are the lifeblood of Journalism

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THE NEW HOPE FOR KWARA STATE Written by Dauda Awwal (UK)

KWARA LACKED DEVELOPMENT UNDER SARAKIGov.Abdrrahman Abdulrazaq.

Many people in Kwara are proud of APC as a great achievement after Abdurrahman Abdurrazaq polled 331,546 votes and emerged as the winner of the 2019 governorship elections.

durrahman Abdurazzaq

Gov.Ab

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Many people in Kwara are proud of APC as a great achievement after Abdurrahman Abdurrazaq polled 331,546 votes and emerged as the winner of the 2019 governorship elections.

L-R: Mrs Olufolake, Gov.Abdurrahman, Justice Suleiman Kawu, officers Abdurrahman Abdurrazaq pledged to promote industry, agriculture, technology and social services and open up new opportunities that will promote the common good. He laments that his administration would always consult with the party and the people before taking decisions on issues in a bid to build consensus and inclusiveness. He attributed APC’s victory at the polls to the collective efforts of the people.

Politics is real life; it’s not a do or die thing. It’s not warfare it’s about the people’s welfare True Democracy is a system of government control by an organization in which power is vested in the people for the people.

Democracy is a system of government where the citizens exercise power by voting for credible candidate.

The new Governor Abdurrahman Abdurrazaq and his deputy were sworn in by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Suleiman Kawu, at a low key ceremony inside the Council Chamber in Government House around 11 am 2

on Wednesday May 29, 2019 at the Government House, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The new governor drove himself to the Government House in a Hilux Toyota van. Both the Governor and his deputy were accompanied to the inauguration event by their wives Mrs Olufolake Abdulrazaq and Mrs Abieyuwa Tokunbo Alabi respectively.

The governor said the new administration would look into how public resources have been deployed in the past but to the extent that such inquiry would turn the page for the state. He promised to boost school enrolment and help nutritional needs of the children. He pledged to embark on massive infrastructural development in the state, especially in the northern senatorial district which he said had long been neglected.

He promised to compensate women with appointments and properly engage the youths as part of the efforts to build a viable state. He laments that his administration would always consult with the party and the people before taking decisions on issues in a bid to build consensus and inclusiveness. Abdurrahman Abdurrazaq pledged to promote industry; agriculture, technology and social services and open up new opportunities that will promote the common good for Kwarans. He stated that his goal is not to lament over the sad past, but to ensure progress and sustainable development in Kwara State.

The new young governor, Abdur-Rahman Abdur-Razaq and his wife have arrived the council chambers for the swearing in. The governor later received the handover note from the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was represented by the Head of Service, Mrs Susan Oluwole. Ahmed congratulated Abdulrazaq, urging him to trust in God to direct him in piloting the affairs of the state. The outgoing administration left N5 billion in the public coffers while the state has also recently benefited from a 750 million dollars World Bank grant for some development projects.

Abdulrazaq’s victory at the 2019 governorship election in Kwara signalled the end of the revered Saraki dynasty in the Kwara State. ‘Otoge movement that was the foundation, soul and spirit of our victory at the polls’’.

I personally conducted an exclusive interview with Comrade Misbahu Esinrogunjo who was the great pillar of the APC Otogee campaign movement for the success of the APC in the 2019 general elections in Kwara State. The result of the elections was a proof that the people of Kwara have decided to take their destiny in their own hands.Esinrogunjo revealed to me that ’’You and I are witnesses as to how our state economy has been 3

hopelessly mismanaged .Kwara that was once rich, suddenly became a debtor state with poverty and unemployment rising higher, and our infrastructures slides into a state of decay .Our people have lost hope, major state property, our education system has collapsed, our children now roam the streets, while the civil servants are no longer proud to be called as such.

L-R: Esinrogunjo,Awwal The situation you will agree is even worse in the rural areas. I think we should not waste time mourning this failure of Saraki’s leadership, as I am convinced that this year 2019 promises to be a momentous one’’ (for Kwarans).

In his inaugural address after the swearing-in, Abdulrazaq declared to the people of the state that it is time for work.

FULL OFFICIAL SPEECH OF GOV.ABDURRAHMAN ABDURRAZZAQ In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All praises and adoration to Allah who has made it possible for us to witness this glorious day in the history of political development of Kwara State.

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In the history of a people, a time comes when they individually and collectively decide to take their destiny in their own hands and fashion an alternative narrative and quest for peace, progress, growth and development for themselves and future generations.

Kwarans reached that decision-making point when they collectively decided to vote us into office on March 9, 2019. Allow me to thank Allah for keeping us alive and in good health to see this historic day and thank you Kwarans for the confidence you have reposed in us in the course of our struggle to redefine, refocus and reposition our State.

Let me also acknowledge my Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) - its officials and field workers at all levels, for their support and hard work. As you know, our victory is only the beginning of our collective vision for a better Kwara. I cannot so easily forget how the collective will, courage and determination of our people, irrespective of class or religion initiated, nurtured and propelled the Otogee movement that was the foundation, soul and spirit of our victory at the polls.

You all fought against all odds and at great cost. Many of you were blackmailed, abused, humiliated and harassed in several ways because you simply said enough is enough. It is my prayers that Allah will never forget you and will give you the strength to enjoy our victory.

I believe we all know that the Otogee movement and victory does not belong to any single person. It belongs to the people of Kwara. The spirit of that movement shall always remain with us as we work to achieve our dreams. If Otogee got us through the struggle to the point of victory, and given the enormous task of reformation and reconstruction ahead, it is now time for Ise ya. As you will all agree, there is so much to be done.

These range from institutional reforms and reconstruction, infrastructural development, human capacity building, social welfare and policy reforms to other socio-economic, cultural, scientific and administrative repositioning. It is not in our tradition to shy away from challenges.

We shall engage them and find solutions. We all know about the now legendary infrastructure deficits, decay and deprivations that our people have endured in the past 16 years.

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Now that we have put our hands on the wheel of peace, progress and sustainable development, we must redouble our efforts and show to the world that we know the difference between progress and stagnation.

Let me state that our goal in Office is not to lament over the sad past. Rather, our goal is to build confidence that a better future is possible; create an enabling environment to empower our people and communities.

Based on data from the research we have been conducting on the resource base of our State, there is no doubt that we are abundantly blessed in human and material resources. I make bold to say that there is enough wealth and opportunities for everyone in this state.

What we have lacked before now are dependable and sustainable development plans, credible policies and policy discipline, accountability and transparency, a good sense of social justice and ability to expand social and political spaces that will promote tolerance, equality and innovation.

These are areas where our government will make a difference. This is not the time to reel out a litany of what programmes and policies will be pursued by our Administration just to please the ears.

What we stand for is to empower our people. Make society and life better.

Strengthen family values. Improve efficiency and service delivery in our public services. Revamp our education to produce the best minds that will in turn make Kwara second to none. Promote industry, agriculture, technology and social services and open up new vistas of opportunities that will promote the common good.

Fellow Kwarans, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we are confident that we shall, together, make Kwara great again through prudent deployment of resources, involving the people in policy making, interrogating past decisions only to the extent that they enable us to move forward.

We shall be fully committed to participatory governance by transforming the relationship between government and the people by continually building mutual trust. In all our policies, programmes and actions, the people of Kwara shall always come first.

Today, I invite you all to join hands with us in Government to repair and rebuild Kwara. I invite constructive criticism and urge you all to utilise our open door policy to communicate ideas and suggestions to us.

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This is your government, love it, hold it, pray for it and work with it so that our dreams will come true. As for me and those I will be working with, we have no other State than Kwara; we have no other dream than Kwara, and we have no other priority than Kwara. It is our home: let us build a true State of Harmony together: Iseya !!! May Allah continue to bless our State. (Ends) Abdurrazaq thanked members of the party who took part in the Transition Committee (TC), especially the chairman Aminu Adisa Loogun APC chairman in the state Bashir Bolarinwa, for his part, commended the governor for choosing a low-key swearing-in program and for identifying with the party so early in his administration.

I attended an event organised by The APC on the 11 March 2019 tagged APC FAMILY Gathering at the Savannah Centre Ilorin In attendance, Sen.Dr.Ibrahim Yahya Oloriegbe who defeated Bukola Saraki, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, Minister of information and culture, Gov. Abdurahman Abdurrazaq, Comrade.Misbahu Esirogunjo, Arch.Kale Belgore,Alhaji Tunde,Hajiya Aishat Ahmadu Patigi,Hajiya Rahmatu (APC Woman Leader, Kwara) Alhaji Taiwo Enlefa and other top APC leaders.

Many people in Kwara are proud of APC as a great achievement after Abdurrahman Abdurrazaq polled 331,546 votes and emerged as the winner of the 2019 governorship elections. He said, ’I thank Almighty Allah for the victory’’. 35 political parties in Kwara supported him and he defeated Abdurrazaq Atunwa of PDP with a margin of 216,792 votes. Atunwa is a Bukola Saraki’s anointed Candidate. APC defeated PDP in all sixteen local governments in Kwara State.

Bukola Saraki was among 64 senators failed to return to National Assembly.

Bukola Saraki was defeated in the 2019 National Assembly polls. Saraki lost to Dr.Ibrahim Oloriegbe.He is a medical Doctor like Bukola. He polled 123,808 votes to defeat Saraki who had 68,994 votes with a huge gap of 54,814.

Bukola Saraki lost his bid to return to the Senate for the third time. He lost to another medical doctor of All Progressive Congress, APC. The loss is a setback for the Saraki Dynasty. The family has installed Six Governors since 1979 till 2019.The late Olusola Saraki controlled Kwara politics for 47 years till he died November 14th 2012.hundreds of law makers, ministers, 7

Ambassadors, chairmen of local governments, house of reps,, state house.

Late Olusola Saraki was a strongman of Kwara politics. He joined politics 1964 when his elder son Bukola Saraki was two years old.

Lawyer Abdur-Razaq who is the father of new Kwara State Governor helped Olusola Saraki in Abidjan and also advised him to join Kwara politics in 1963 and the Late Olusola Saraki joined Kwara politics in 1964 when Bukola was two year’s old. He also helped his wife Florence Morenike to secure her first job in Nigeria. But he was defeated like Bukola was defeated 2019. He recaptured in 1974 he returned back to Ilorin again with his new brand as a philanthropist.

Ousola Saraki installed first civilian governor Alhai Adamu Attah of NPN 1 st Oct 1979-30 September 1983. He installed Chief Cornelius Adebayo of UPN 1st October 1983 to 31 December 1983. He installed Alhaji Sha’ba Lafiaji of SDP January 1992 to 1993. He installed Muhammad Lawal of ANPP 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003. He installed his son Bukola 29 May 2003 till 29 May 2011.His son installed his commissioner of finance-Abdulfatah Ahmed 29 May 2011 to May 29 2019.APC installed Abdurrahman Abdurrazzaq 29 May 2019 till May 2027.

Indeed,Tinubu supported Abdurrahman after he promised to retire Bukola Saraki from politics and he did.

HOW ABDURRAZZAQ ABDURRAHMAN EMERGED Abdurazzaqi Abdurrahman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious in the 23rd February 2019 governorship election held in Kwara State. The result was announced on Sunday 24 th March 2019 by the INEC after the total votes were collated at the Independent National Electoral

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Commission (INEC).At the final declaration held in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, APC polled a total of 331,546 votes.

The closest contender for the position, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate Razaq Atunwa secured 114,754 votes. After the announcement of the result, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq was announced winner of the election.

He said: “March 9, the people of Kwara state finally shook off the yoke of political subjugation and socioeconomic stagnation by voting overwhelmingly for our party (APC) in the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

“We give Almighty God all the glory. We dedicate this victory to the people of Kwara State, home and abroad, who stood resolutely to see through the democratic revolution that started many years ago.

Much as this historic event calls for celebrations, we instead implore our people to reflect on the challenges ahead and the need to come together. This victory belongs to all Kwarans.

We are faced with the challenge of evolving a Kwara that works for all, away from the abysmal state of affairs now.. We promise to diligently implement our manifesto for the good of our people.

We salute all the heroes of this struggle, including all those who paid the supreme sacrifice’’.

May their souls rest in perfect peace. We commend our party members, leaders at the local, state and national levels for their sterling efforts and contributions to this victory.

We thank our traditional rulers for their fatherly roles. We also commend the security agencies, electoral officers and other stakeholders who performed their duties creditably. We also thank the media for their professionalism.

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Finally, we are grateful to everyone who supported the Otoge movement.�

The Kwara electorates have decided to choose a NEW HOPE for Kwara as their new Governor-Alhaji Abdurrahman Abdurrazzaq under the platform of APC. There are mass defections from PDP to APC following the fall of Bukola Saraki and PDP in Kwara State after the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

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