War of Words

Ahmed Abdulfatah

Opposition groups and key political figures fault Governor Fatah Ahmed’s account of 100 days in Kwara state and demand the probe of former Governor Bukola Saraki
By Olawale Abideen
The 2011 general elections may have come and gone but while many states such as Imo, Nasarawa, Oyo, Ogun and others are still basking in the euphoria occassioned by change of guards in their respective states, Kwara state, pundits say, is still dancing on the same spot. The opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in Kwara state further buttressed what some Kwara state analysts described as legacy of criminality and poverty. In its recent press statement which was obtained by our magazine the party chided the PDP led administration in the state, describing it as a third term of former Governor Bukola Saraki in disguise. It argued that unlike the tradition of inauguration of a new regime where handover note containing the worth and debt of the state would be listed and read out publicly, Kwara state, according to the opposition party had no such opportunity. ACN also claim that the incumbent Governor, Ahmed Abdulfatah of aiding and abating the corrupt practices of the former governor.
According to the party, “a fair assessment of this illegitimate administration so far only confirms that Saraki’s choice of Ahmed was meant to achieve third term through the backdoor. This claim is backed by the bizarre experiences of Kwaras in the last 114 days. The character of the cabinet, single-handedly compiled by Bukola Saraki is a case study. The continued occupancy of the presidential wing of Kwara State Government House by Senator Saraki is yet another open sore to the people of the state.”
According to the party, “it is so strange to see a governor waiting endlessly at the airport for the arrival of a senator. What is embarrassing is the power giving to senator Bukola who is currently representing one out of the three senatorial districts of the state to come all the way from Abuja and commission Kwara state Government projects. This is however a family trait as ex-Governor Adamu Attah also parted with Olusola Saraki who was coincidentally a senator between 1979 and 1983 for this same reason.” The ACN, also wants a probe of the pension bill which despite public outcry, was endorsed by the Kwara state House of Assembly’ shortly before the end of Bukola’s regime. “We support our people’s demand to know the status of this bill and we are requesting the Ahmed administration, as part of its 100 days jamboree, to confirm to our people whether the multi-billion naira mansion under construction at the tip of the Ahmandu Bello way in Ilorin is part of Bukola’s pension package hence we have seen a continuation of capital flight and consistent disregard for transparency especially in the area of award of contracts.”
The Ahmed administrations in the state, as lamented by the opposition party, has nothing to show for its 100 days in office. The Kwara ACN gubernatorial candidate, Dele Belgore in an exclusive interview with The Source debunked Governor Ahmed claim on job generation. Belgore noted that while ACN government in Osun, Ogun and Oyo employed over 20,000 youths, Ahmed’s claim of 2,000 jobs is unrealistic. The ACN chieftain also condemned the PDP government for frivolous spending of state funds.
In the same vein, Biodun Kolawole, a democracy activist accused Governor Ahmed of planning to ruin Kwara state as he ruined the defunct Societe General Bank Plc in 1998. “The claim of Ahmed’s administration to have sunk 72 boreholes is therefore questionable but it falls rightly within the character of its predecessor who is notorious for deliberate misrepresentation of fact.” He also challenged the PDP led government to publicise how it spend the N16 billion taken from the Federation Account between May and July. He condemned the government of wasting over N500 million being monthly generate internal revenue on travelling and maintenance of government house.
Meanwhile, the state government has described he ACN allegation as baseless and unfounded. The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Wahab Oba told The Source that the employment generation of the Ahmed’s administration has just begun and in few years to come, the numbers of employed youths will be increased. Oba added that the present administration in the state is poised for total transformation of the state hence the commissioning of numerous life’s touching projects, such as operation no pot hotels and the re-introduction of farm settlement centres across the state.