The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has expressed dismay over the non-inclusion of Kwara State in the Federal Government’s intervention to subsidise the cost of transportation to about 22 states during the Christmas and New Year seasons.
In a statement on Saturday by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olusegun Adewara, the PDP regretted that despite Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s position as the current Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress-led government, Kwara is conspicuously absent from the program which would have benefitted its people in all states of the federation
The party said: “As a party, we join the good people of Kwara in questioning the public benefit Kwarans have gained from Governor Abdulrazaq’s chairmanship of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, especially when he seemingly cannot effectively negotiate the interests of his people at the Federal Executive Council during decision-making processes by the Federal Government.
“Let us assume the Federal Government refused to show much concern for the welfare of our people at this time, is it too much if the Kwara State Government offered some internal assistance to our people coming from different parts of the country despite the huge financial inflow to the state recently?
“Governor Abdulrahman, just like his colleagues in other states, had just received another N9bn intervention from the Federal Government, what is wrong with committing part of this fund as a subsidy to assist Kwarans who are coming home to celebrate the yuletide?
“This raises serious concerns about the governor’s commitment to advancing the interests of the Kwara people or whether his political achievements merely serve personal ambitions.
“We also call on Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to explain why he could not provide even the staggering N10,000 palliatives to all Kwara workers as earlier promised, especially when other states are providing N25,000, N35,000, and N100,000 and 13-month salary to their workers. Governor Abdulrahman holds the position of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum Chairman for the benefit of the people but fails to meet the expectations of his people back home in Kwara.
“We recall the tenure of Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the leader of PDP in Kwara, as Governors’ Forum Chairman, during which he prioritised Kwara’s interests. Under his leadership, he influenced the Nigeria Integrated Power Project to the state which brought significant developments; including 15 MVA power substations that connected more than 375 rural communities to the national grid, and installed over 875 power transformers across Kwara State
