• Gov says Tinubu will tackle flooding along River Niger banks, build Patigi-Bida bridge
• Says Kwara North doesn’t need a stooge as Governor
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has earned our trust and a right to serve more for the next four years on account of his performance, his respect for traditional institution, and his uncommon care for the people, Etsu Patigi Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Bologi II said on Monday.
The Etsu said he would continue to speak to “our people to reward your good nature with another term of four years”.
The monarch spoke in Patigi, the capital city of Patigi local government, as the Governor, Senator Sadiq Umar and other APC candidates from the axis arrived on a campaign stop to the area. Director General of the Kwara State APC Campaign Council Yahya Seriki is also on the train.
The campaign stops will include Kpada, Lade, and other parts of the senatorial district.
The Etsu said the area is better served with AbdulRazaq who has proven to be a listening and responsive Governor and a man of his words.
“You are the people’s governor because you have always answered our calls. Whether you call His Excellency or text him, he always responds to our calls,” the monarch said.
“We will continue to engage our people to seek their support to vote for you and your entire team from the presidency to the state House of Assembly. We pray Almighty Allah will continue to guide you and support you.
“We will continue to guide you as we have been doing as traditional rulers. Because we have been enjoying you and we will continue to enjoy you. You always refer us as another tier of government. I pray Almighty Allah will always guide you.”
The Governor said: “We are back here once more for campaign, but before we start in this kingdom, we have to pay our respect to His royal Highness. We want to thank the Emirate for voting us into power in 2019.
“Since we came, we met a lot of challenges which we’ve been trying to resolve one by one. You would have noticed how we have been tackling the challenges, such as payment of salaries to workers, pension and gratuity, such as arrears. Our first challenge was how to resolve the issue of human capital development, education and health care development.
“We found ourselves in the hole from which we had to come out from. That is why you saw us concentrating on fixing our healthcare centres and schools. Once we get our education right we can compete globally. So we need your support to continue this effort in turning the state around. We have been fixing our schools and hospitals. Right now, work is ongoing at Patigi General Hospital to bring it back to shape. That’s what we have also been doing across the state.
“We have been very prudent in managing our resources carefully. Don’t listen to those who had 16 years with wasted resources. You can see them comparing their 16 years to our three and a half years.
“Before the last elections, we promised to work on the bridge across the Niger here. And you can see that contract has been awarded for that bridge. The next priority we have is to get the federal government to fund the bridge. You also see the road from Tsaragi to Patigi here. In Federal Ministry of Works (paper), that road has been completed. But the former administration only awarded the contract to themselves and didn’t do the job. So when we went there to ask them (Federal Ministry of Works), they would tell us the road has been fixed.
“I urge you to vote all our candidates, including Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He will address the issue of flooding and fund the construction of the bridge.”
Responding to chants of ‘no to a puppet Governor’, AbdulRazaq also urged the people of Kwara North to be patient to have a Governor who would be a chief executive and not an errand boy who would not be able to do anything on his own.
Also in company of the Governor were Secretary to the State Government Prof Mamman Saba Jubril; Special Adviser on Strategy Saadu Salau; Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties Alhaji AbdulRazhaq Jiddah; Director General State APC Campaign Council Alhaji Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki; House of Representatives candidate for APC for Edu/ Patigi/ Moro Constituency Dr. Ahmed Adamu Saba; and party leaders and executives.
Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
February 13, 2023
