By Abdulqaudri Mahmud
As the 2023 governorship election in Kwara state draws closer, what I do not pray to happen to Kwarans and Kwara civil servants is a Governor Yaman Abdullahi. His administration will be the repeat of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s administration where civil servants were maltreated and owed salaries for months. An administration where civil servants’ welfare suffered a setback.
Yaman was handpicked by the imprimatur of Kwara PDP – former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki who was the de facto governor of Kwara state during Ahmed administration. According to political analysts, Ahmed was just a mere surrogate governor who couldn’t take important actions without the orders of Saraki. And the few times he did he knows what his eyes saw.
A Governor Yaman would continue from where Abdulfatah Ahmed stopped. He would be a surrogate governor and would be waiting for Saraki’s orders before he takes important actions. And since Saraki still believes him and his extremely corrupt party-PDP were voted out with propaganda in 2019, all the issues of governance that bedeviled Kwara during PDP’s reigns would rise again.
Saraki and his henchmen have missed Kwara’s treasury; therefore, he is backing Yaman Abdullahi so as to return to his “governor general’s” position. He can’t wait to lord over a governor Yaman who would comfort him at the expense of Kwara civil servants’ salaries and welfare. A governor Yaman would not mind if the civil servants die in starvation like it happened in the time of Megida. As far as his master is happy, he’s happy too.
It’s only Kwarans who can prevent the emergence of a governor Yaman and his master who do not mean well for Kwara state from coming near its treasury. How will they prevent them? It is through their votes! Kwara must not return to greedy politicians who made it an eyesore during their reigns.
Kwara civil servants are fine with a Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. So, they don’t need a Governor Yaman Abdullahi who would afflict them on the orders of his master Saraki. Under Governor AbdulRazaq they receive their salaries at the right time. Their promotions are not on hold; they are being promoted. The present administration prioritizes their welfare.
And for those who have been wailing “Yaman O’clock”, they should reset their time because AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq “lo tun kan”. One good turn deserves another, the wise say. Besides, Kwarans can’t leave a performing AbdulRazaq to vote for one Yaman who will not perform well nor pay salaries if elected. He has no blueprint for Kwara other than the usual ’oga sope’ which Kwarans rejected the other day. Kwarans don’t want a gbewudani governor.
Abdulqaudri Mahmud writes from Ilorin East LGA, Zango Ward, Ilorin Kwara state
