A stalwart of the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Kwara State, Honourable Akintoba Fatigun, in this interview with BIOLA AZEEZ, spoke on the politics of Kwara State since 1999, the gains and missed opportunities, as well the coming local government election, among other issues.
What is your view on current political happenings in Kwara State?
Kwara State today has no bold voice speaking for her at the national level. The type of representation and leadership that the state had in the time of Oloye Olusola Saraki, General Tunde Idiagnon, Gen Abdulkarim Adisa, General Theophilus Bamigboye, General Abdullahi Mohammed Adangba, up to the period of Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, is now absent and lacking. There is need for respect for rule of law and constitution in the present administration. It’s the first time this will be happening in the state. When Dr Bukola Saraki was the governor, his dad, the late Oloye and some first-class traditional rulers across the three senatorial zones could check if he took any steps that were considered wrong. At that time, there was extensive consultation before any major policy or programme was initiated. This process made the government very representative and inclusive. It’s no longer so. There’s need for great improvement.
Some people believe that the 16 years of PDP in the state’s administration is also a waste. What is your take on this submission?
That is a submission not supported by facts. It is a careless submission based on hatred, envy, jealousy, and selfishness. It is the basis of the propaganda that was concocted in 2018-2019 during the “O to Ge” era. Are you saying the establishment of Kwara State University (KWASU), Aviation College, Ganmo power station, community health insurance scheme started by the PDP, Medical Diagnostics Centre, Shonga Farm, resuscitation of Ogbondoroko cashew industry, Mandate housing estates, establishment of Kwara Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) , building of the new secretariat, construction of Geri Allimi Underpass, construction of the first flyover in the state, the construction of Kosu-bosu-Chikanda-Ilesha-Baruba Road, are all waste? Road construction and development were done across the state in those years. Ilorin was cited as one of the cleanest state capitals in the country during the tenure of Dr. Bukola Saraki. We are talking about a concentration of construction work on just a street in the entire state – that is Ahmadu Bello Way as we are now experiencing. What we have now is a one-street development. The good people of Kwara submitted to heavy, ill-motivated propaganda and blackmail of “Se Awon Nikan Ni” in 2019 and we can all see where it has led us.
Are you saying that Kwara State is missing Dr Bukola Saraki’s leadership?
Is it not obvious? Saraki cannot be governor, senator, member of the House of Representatives, local government chairman or councilor again. So, his contributions to the development of the state cannot be for any personal gain. We need his influence, connections, network, experience, intelligence, and organizational ability to draw national benefits to our state.
When PDP and Saraki were in control of the politics of Kwara State, our senators and representatives used to head choice committees in the National Assembly. Zakari Mohammed was chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Universal Basic Education, the former speaker of the State Assembly, Honourable Ali Ahmad, was chairman of the Committee on Justice, Honourable Ahman Pategi was chairman of Water Resources, for many years, late Funke Adedoyin was deputy chairman of Committee on the Army. Senator Shaba Lafiagi was chairman, Senate Committee on National Intelligence, and the late Senator Rafiu Ibrahim was the chairman of Banking and other Financial Institutions. These are committees through which numerous projects and developments were attracted to the state. Today, what do we have? We need a top voice at the national level to make a case for Kwara State. In the federal cabinet, Kwara State nominees used to have choice ministries. – Defence, Housing, Health and Communication. Hon Bio Ibrahim was transport minister when the Transport ministry was massive and a special reserve of top politicians. The ministry then supervised the Nigerian Port Authority, NIMASA, Nigerian Inland Water Way, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), and Nigerian Shippers Council are all under him.
All our senators and House members during PDP were members of choice committees because we had a leader in Bukola Saraki who is selfless, respected, influential, and could make things happen nationally and internationally. But what did we in Kwara do to pay back Saraki? As a result of envy, we harassed him with heavy blackmail and character assassination. They claimed falsely that he was following federal allocation accruing to Kwara State with a private jet as if the money was paid in cash in Abuja to the state commissioner for Finance. They lied that he was collecting N2 billion from the state allocation every month to fund his lifestyle. Since he left public office over five years ago and the PDP is no longer in control of the Kwara State government, is he still collecting the N2billion every month? Has his lifestyle changed from when he was in government? No. He is still spending hundreds of millions of naira to assist and support Kwarans. His NGO, ABS Foundation, is sponsoring various initiatives in the area of health, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and sports development and he still reaches out during Christian and Muslim festivals to Kwarans. He gives palliative support to those affected by natural disasters and mind you. Is he still being paid the N2 billion from the state allocation to fund his lifestyle and projects? Kwara needs a leader like Dr Saraki who is selfless, respected, wise, influential, and kindhearted to give us the federal muscle, the big cover, and wise guidance to survive in Nigeria today.
What is Dr Saraki doing to get the PDP back to power in Kwara?
It’s not about what Saraki is doing to get Kwara State back. It’s about what we, the people, are doing to get our state back on track, out of the woods. It’s Kwarans that need to come together under Saraki’s leadership to navigate a way out. He’s a natural leader. You can see the way Nigeria and the international community rallied around him when his beloved mother died. From the president of our dear country to leaders from other African countries, and the leadership of the ruling party, they all came to pay condolences to him and participated in the funeral obsequies in honour of the late mother. Top government functionaries came to show him support. That demonstrates to us that he is well respected across political, ethnic, and religious divides. Kwara should not miss the coming opportunity. As I said before, Saraki is not coming to be governor, senator, House of Representatives member, local council chairman or councilor. He’s far above all that. But we need his guidance, network, and experience to save Kwara from this present situation.
For me, Akintoba Fatigun, Saraki is my leader and I challenge those who are opposed to this statement to tell me who their leader is. They cannot successfully dispute or impeach any of the facts I have stated above.
What is the PDP doing to win Kwara back?
Peoples Democratic Party is doing its bit by exposing how the present leadership in the state is using the state’s resources. For five years and two months, the local government areas in the state are administered by those selected by the governor. This was done for 60 good months. During this period, all the responsibilities of the local councils were at low ebb. The state government is now planning to conduct an election when it became obvious that the Supreme Court would rule in favour of local government autonomy. PDP has gone to court to challenge any form of illegalities to have elected LGAs in place. Our party is going through reorganisation. Those who are creating problems, de-marketing, and sabotaging the party are finding their way out, and that has created opportunities for the youth to join the party in moving it forward. Every day, our members hold meetings at every level and mobilising new supporters into its rank.
How prepared is your party for the coming local government election?
Our party is prepared. We have submitted names for all the chairmen and councilors to the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC). We have paid all the necessary fees and taxes. We are going to win the election, but KWASIEC must do the right thing. It must follow due process and its own rules. We will not accept a deliberate infraction of the law that can lead to nullification of the election and that was why we went to court to stop the deliberate violation of the law from happening. If they announced the conduct of the LGA poll in June 2024, then going by the provision of the law, which the present government enacted, he can only conduct the polls in June 2025.
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