APC Reels Out Governor AbdulRazaq’s Achievements In Five Years

Ilorin, Kwara State– The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, has highlighted the achievements of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and emphasized his transformative impact over the past five years.

At a press conference held on Monday at the state party secretariat in Ilorin, APC Chairman, Mr Sunday Fagbemi commended the governor’s efforts in repositioning the state’s image and implementing policies focused on the collective wellbeing of its citizens.

Fagbemi said Governor AbdulRazaq has repositioned Kwara State through innovative policies and programs that prioritize the welfare of the people.

He commended the governor for making the APC a beloved party among the populace despite the ongoing economic challenges that continue to affect not just the whole country but the entire world.

The party chairman listed the key areas of progress, including infrastructure development, healthcare improvements, educational reforms, and economic initiatives designed to boost local industries and create jobs.

The statement read: “The difference for us in Kwara State has been the people-focused, pro-masses and pro-development government that we have in the state which continues to support the masses through different social programs even as it embarks on projects and initiatives that develop every part of the state.

“In the last elections, Kwarans resolved to reward the remarkable performance of the Governor with a new mandate to ensure the continuity of inclusive governance and sustainable development for the people and state as was witnessed in the first four years. Our party also won the presidential election, including the 3 senatorial seats, six House of Representatives, and all the 24 seats in the State Assembly.

“Our party has won 100% in our elections not because we are perfect. We won all our elections because we are obviously pro-masses, we develop every part of the state, we are responsive to the yearnings of the people, and we empathize with the people within the resources available to the state. Even at that, our party has been conscious of the need to create a balance between creating economic opportunities for the people and allowing activities and unregulated growth that may jeopardize urban planning and development and ultimately hurt the people in different ways, including security breaches.

“We are proud to say the new mandate given to our party across the lines is being justified, as it is evident in the avalanche of superlative programmes and projects dotting every corner of Kwara today.

“We are also proud of all our elected and appointed representatives at all levels for their efforts to bring democratic dividends to our people. We thank them for working with our hard-working Governor who is the leader of our team. We urge them to keep it up and to do a lot more to complement what the Governor is doing.

Fagbemi noted that History will remember Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as a transformational leader who rose above personal and partisan interests to take bold decisions and pushed through progressive agenda for the growth and development of the state.

Listing the achievements of AbdulRazaq over the past five years, the chairman of the party highlighted that AbdulRazaq’s dream for urban renewal and economic expansion is now evident in the Tanke and Unity flyovers as well as the Wahab Folawiyo road, Ahmadu Bello way, Ilorin Innovation Hub, Garment Factory, Shea butter factory, industrial park, agroprocessing and other agricultural programmes to support food security, International Conference Centre, Visual Arts Centre, Sugar Film Factory, transformative education projects and programmes, numerous completed and ongoing urban and rural road projects spanning thousands of kilometers across the state, among others as our deserved reality.

“In decades to come, Kwarans will remember Governor AbdulRazaq as a leader who restored the glory of the past, gave workers their due at the right time, catered for the weak and vulnerable segments of the society, empowered women and the youths, worked to keep the gains of today and prepared for the future.

“You may recall the launching of Ilorin City MasterPlan two years ago. The groundbreaking of the 25,000 hectares Ilorin Smart City is near, promising a new chapter in the history of the state. It is a fulfilment of the promise of our party for sustainable development and reducing housing deficits by providing a platform for public and private sector collaboration for a mix of affordable and luxury housing scheme for the citizens.

“Kwara’s basic education has continued its rise from the ashes to the zenith of excellence. Aided by our flagship educational policy KwaraLEARN, our schoolchildren have won national laurels and represented Nigeria at a global competition for the second time running. It underscores the significant progress we are recording in the basic education sector in our state.

The party chairman added that AbdulRazaq has laid a solid foundation for making Kwara a major medical hub in Nigeria.

“First, he facilitated the construction of the first cancer treatment centre in the whole of North Central Nigeria funded by AbdulSamad Rabiu Foundation, and then got federal government to approve a comprehensive upgrade of the Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre. Similarly, groundwork for establishment of the Kwara State Teaching Hospital (KWASUTH) has commenced as a Bill for the establishment is now ready for public hearing at the House.

“Upon completion, the teaching hospital will support the training of medical students and related professionals, boost manpower, and extend the frontier of healthcare delivery to save the lives of women, children, and elderly in Kwara and surrounding states. In the whole of North Central, our state has the gold medal in the access to basic health care while the government continues to invest to keep our professionals and provide more equipment to beat the current standard.

Under the AbdulRazaq-led administration rural-urban development drive, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, and interlocking of 71 new road projects were recently approved across the state. Earlier, reconstruction, rehabilitation, and interlocking of 75 road projects were completed in the last one year.

“Owing to the efforts of our working Governor, Kwara has also recorded massive infrastructural gains from the APC-led federal government. The state has since got approval for the construction of four major roads under the Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme. The roads include Kosubosu–Kaiama–Bode Saadu (128km); Bacita-Shonga-Lafiagi (74.3km); Eiyenkorin–Afon–Offa–Odo Otin (42.5km); and Okuta–Bokuro (37km). Similarly, Kishi Kaiama Tese Road has recently been approved for construction by the Federal Executive Council. We thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for continued support and collaboration with the Kwara State Government to ensure we deliver on our promises of improved quality of life, inclusive growth, and sustainable development to the people.

Following the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government, the impressive manner the Governor held the state together is not talked about enough.

Fagbemi said AbduRazaq was the first Governor to roll out palliative measures, including monthly cash award for workers, implementation of many welfare packages like CONHESS, CONMESS, CONTEDSS, cash-backing promotion arrears, and rolling out of different support programmes for the people of the state through the social investment programme.

“We recall also that he announced a 3-day work system. It is also noteworthy that he cleared the salary arrears of LG and SUBEB staff from 2016, ensuring their service is duly rewarded. He has consistently paid gratuities for retired workers, while preparations have gone far to also offset the arrears owed to pensioners from the last administration.

He said that the Governor has taken commendable steps to preserve the legacies of our founding fathers and mothers across different sectors. Kwara State Stadium Complex Ilorin is undergoing a facelift to elevate its status and aesthetics under the AbdulRazaq-led administration.

The construction of a world-class table tennis arena is ongoing as well as renovation of the Indoor Sports Hall to aid the grooming of young talents and ensure our state remains on the map as home of champions in sports.

According to him, this is the first time that the indoor sports hall is being done in this manner since 1991.

To improve access to clean and safe water, the Governor recently constructed a new waterworks at Jebba, ending decades of lack in the kingdom. Rehabilitation works have also been completed on several waterworks across the state in the last one year.

“While our country grapples with different security challenges which are seriously being tackled by the Federal Government, our dear Governor has continued to partner with the security agencies and community vigilante groups to keep Kwarans safe at all times.

“Our government has drastically reduced or eliminated the thuggery and unruly conducts of some nonstate actors that were the hallmark of the political system in Kwara State before 2019. Our government, thanks to the Governor, has taken a principled stand not to submit to the hitherto political thuggery which bred violence in the past. This has restored sanity and peace in the political system and this is due to the peaceful nature of the Governor and zero tolerance for thuggery. This policy has changed the political temperature of the state for the foreseeable future and we are confident that Kwarans will not return to the ugly past.

“Our government has exhibited tremendous respect for our traditional and religious institutions, while defending the rights of the individuals under the law. We are proud today that Kwarans now have a bigger sense of ownership of their own state than ever before. This is due to the intentional effort of the Governor to make Kwara a home for all and a place where everyone can fulfil their destiny without undue molestation or political interference or persecution.

“In summary, the Governor has represented us well. He has been a worthy ambassador of our party and his government has greatly helped to sustain the bonds between our party and the great people of Kwara State. We were not surprised therefore that he was elevated to lead his colleagues as chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), a role he has continued to play with admiration from his colleagues and the people of Nigeria who cherish mutual respect and cooperation among different layers of government structures and their leadership.

“We thank Governor Abdulrazaq for leading us well and his humble leadership that gives everyone a voice. He therefore has our vote of confidence as the leader in whom we trust to make Kwara greater.

“Our party will continue to support him to succeed. As we look forward to the local government election on September 21, we call on all stakeholders to play by the rules and avoid any action that may heat up the polity because this is the only state that we have,” the chairman said.