By Ibrahim Ahmed
Nobody sets Mr Bukola Saraki up against the media like his followers, who often resort to unfounded criticisms of the developmental strides and programs initiated by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s administration in Kwara State. Instead of engaging in constructive dialogue, they dig up Saraki’s unflattering past, inadvertently drawing attention to the stark contrasts between his leadership and the current governance.
One cannot entirely fault Saraki’s supporters for the media backlash they provoke. In a recent attempt to gain political mileage in a dispute involving the state government and (dis) honourable Moshood Mustapha, Saraki unwittingly resurrected his own dubious legacy. Kwarans were quick to recall how Saraki misused state resources in his vendetta against the late ex-Governor Mohammed Lawal, marking one of the darkest chapters in the political history of Kwara State.
Since the Abdulrazaq administration commenced the payment of the N70,000 minimum wage for Kwara workers, Saraki’s followers have resorted to derogatory language, calling the governor unprintable names. In one of their childish articles, they accused him of afflicting workers with the new minimum wage—a claim many Kwarans believe is unmerited, given the transformative efforts made by the current administration to rectify the 16 years of mismanagement under Saraki and his allies.
It seems Saraki’s supporters underestimate the memory of Kwarans, who vividly recall how civil servants and pensioners were maltreated during Saraki’s tenures as a governor and de facto governor. Records indicate that as the latter, Saraki wasted the lives of countless innocent civil servants and pensioners due to chronic unpaid salaries. A PUNCHNG report from August 7, 2017, noted that over 1,005 pensioners in Kwara died as a result of unpaid allowances.
Furthermore, similarly, an Ilorin.info article from January 11, 2016, revealed that more than 500 workers lost their lives due to their inability to access salaries. The tragic case of Mr. Biodun Bashir, a Universal Basic Education staff member who took his own life over unpaid wages, further underscores the dire consequences of Saraki’s leadership.
These grim realities characterize the unpatriotic and uncaring governance that prevailed during Saraki’s reign, a time when the voices of workers were stifled, and civil service became a source of despair. Banks ceased granting loans to civil servants as Saraki and ex-Governor Ahmed obstructed their income streams, leading to the deaths of over 1,500 workers, according to various reports.
It is ironic that those who once denied civil servants their salaries and halted promotions are now calling for Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s head for being benevolent. If politics were not played by evil people, figures like Saraki and his followers would be the last to voice opinions on governance, especially in a state where their iron-fisted rule significantly harmed the mental health and wellbeing of civil servants for personal gain for years.
Ibrahim Ahmed is a political analyst, writes from Oko-olowo, Ilorin, Kwara State.
