AbdulRahman has not done well in Kwara – PDP Chairman
He is a product of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria who graduated in 1975 and became a qualified consulting Engineer in 1982. Elected to the federal House of Representatives in 1992 representing Oyun and Offa Federal constituency and also in 1999. as a second timer to the same house. He was a member of the national political conference in 1995. Special adviser to then Governor Bukola Saraki in 2007 and later Honourable Commissioner for works under the same regime of Dr Saraki. The 65 year old indigene of Offa in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State is presently the Chairman of People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Kwara State. Engineer Kola Shittu spoke with our Correspondent, JOSEPH DASILVA on the February 2019 election and his perception on the AbdulRahman AbdulRazak led All Progressives Congress, APC government in Kwara State in its first 100 days in office. His views;
Can we meet you sir?
My name is Honourabe Kola Shittu, the Chairman of People’s Democratic Party in Kwara State.
Your party, PDP is no longer in power in the state, what do you think caused the failure of your party in the last election?
I want to get something clear; our party has been in power since the last sixteen years, to answer your question, I want to throw a question back at you, are you expecting us to rule forever?
No Sir.
If you didn’t expect us to rule forever, then losing in an election after sixteen years is not a breaking news. We have lost, fine, we have gone back to the drawing board know what happened, analyze things and move on. That is what we are doing and it will be unwise of me, making our discoveries and next steps known ahead of time. We are working on strategies to use in next elections but I can assure you that where mistakes have been made we want to correct it so that we can endear the public to our party again. Politics at times is like football, may be Arsenal is playing Man – U and may be Man –U beat Arsenal and in another match three months later Arsenal may beat Man – U. You lose at one time, you win some other time. It is normal, not a news, that is my reaction to your question.
A new Party has been there since about One hundred days now, how do you assess the performance of AbdulRahman AbdulRazak led administration of APC so far?
The ruling APC government has not performed well. I have a criteria for making my assessment and from this they have not scored 20 percent. My criteria is based on their promises to the electorates before and during the elections. I can give a few of those promises made. They promised to offset salaries of worker within 100 days in office. They promised to offset salaries arears of Local government and SUBEB staff and this has not been done. Secondly, they promised to give Agricultural loans to farmers within 100 days, which has not been done. Thirdly, they promised to buy a tractor each to all the 93 political wards in the state to help their farming need, that also has not been met. Also, they promised to construct rural roads within 100 days, this promise to rural dwellers has not been met. They promised massive employment for the youths in the state within 100 days, this is also not yet a reality. The issue of minimum wage promised to workers is also yet a reality within the 100 days despite the receipt of lot of money from federal allocations and internally generated revenue in the state. It is a surprise that in te 100 days under review a government has not been formed; no Commissioners, no special advisers, that means the state executive council, which is the governing council is not in place, this is not good enough. Aside all these, the APC government in the state has worked against the constitution by taking certain illegal steps; all the cases are in courts. The suspension or dissolution of all local government councils, Chairmen and Counselors. The dissolution of local government service commissions, legally constituted commissions like the civil service commission, Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission, the House of Assembly service commission. Things like these are not good enough and based on these, my judgment is that they have performed woefully. They need to sit tight.
There is a clamour to end the Saraki dynasty, how feasible is this?
Those who are saying this do not know what they are saying and are not educated. In fact, I don’t understand that particular statement. Put an end to Saraki dynasty? Saraki dynasty is a dynamic dynasty. They can be in one party today and be in another tomorrow. Are they saying that they want to exterminate Saraki family or they want to prevent any party he belongs to from winning in elections? I don’t understand what they mean. I am not related to Saraki by blood but I am in the same party with him, so if an end must come to Saraki dynasty are they saying they will bring an end to me as well? I realize many people use languages that they do not understand it meaning. The truth is that Saraki may lose an election today, he could win another election tomorrow, that is politics and that is the culture. Those who are talking about putting an end to one dynasty or the other, I think they are not very educated. All that matters to us is how the masses will enjoy the dividends of democracy and that is paramount.
Haven worked closely with Senator Bukola Saraki, what are those attributes of his hat you made you close to him?
You see, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki that I know is a fantastic human being. I can authoritatively speak about him without fear or favour because when he was Governor of kwara state, I worked closely with him for four years in his second term. I know the way he reasons and how he put people in mind and I can boast about it that this man laid the foundation of a new Kwara. Whether in terms of infrastructure, economy or commerce and what have you. He is a man of vision and has tremendous capacity in governance.
Was that what helped him as Senate President?
Yes, that is what played out while he was at the Senate. There is no Senate President in the history f this country that was able to manage the Senate for four years with vast majority supporting him. There is no Senate president that attended plenary like Bukola Saraki did. He is youthful, he has the energy and capacity. As a matter of fact, you must have watched the valedictory service, as a matter of fact, even those colleagues at the senate in their valedictory speeches commended him. He is very hard working, visionary and very intelligent. If I may add, in honesty he has the capacity to lead this country. He is a fantastic human being. Aside from being philanthropic, he has lot of attributes that until you come close, you might not see. He was Chairman Governors forum, see his leadership role then. All attainment of his were not strange to us about his capability, we expected it. Bukola Saraki is a man that can rule this country and this country will do well to have him someday. He showed his capability in Kwara, built a University where nobody expected he could. He invested in road networks, renovated sporting arena, the stadium complex. In the health sector, he performed wonderfully well, he bought the Health Insurance into Kwara. In agriculture, he started with Molete, the agricultural training, he brought the Shonga Commercial farmers and so many of his accomplishments. If we begin to talk about what this man did and could do, they will overwhelm you. What this new Government needs to do is to build on all that Saraki had done and move on.
If called upon to render advisory services to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazak would you be willing?
Criticizing his government is a form of assistance to the government. The way we have been talking , we are advising them. Usually only a vibrant constructive critical opposition will do any government some good. People around him will just praise him and possibly mislead him. I said it in some for a before that I don’t know the governor from anywhere but I respect his experience. He is a business man from the private sector; I am a professional in the private sector so we have a lot in common. There are ethics in the private sector he would not naturally want things to go bad but like I said earlier, is problem will be his advisers. He has to be very careful with the people around him. We will continue to criticize his government constructively and that will be enough an advice to the government.
Would you subscribe to having your party in power inviting professionals from opposition party into the cabinet in the interest of the people?
There is nothing wrong in that. When a party wins in an election, the Governor is there to govern over all, regardless of political party affiliations, religious inclination and all the rest. He is not governing over his party members alone, he is for all. A wise governor will look at every corner where he can get good hands to work with him to actualize his dream for the state. Tat is te bottom line of good governance for the people to enjoy the dividends of democracy. The result at the end will speak for the Governors achievement as no one will ask which person did it from his party or from another party, success is the goal towards good governance. In short, I support the idea of carrying everyone along in the scheme of things.
As a politician serving the people, what is your dream for Kwara?
I want a peaceful and meaningful life for the people of this state and that is why in any position that I find myself, I let my work prove what I wish, peaceful and meaningful life for kwarans whether as party chairman or as Commissioner, which I have been before. Tomorrow I may be Governor of Kwara State, minister of the federal republic, even as President of Nigeria, the people of Kwara State must enjoy the dividends of democracy, which will mean good education for their children, good food, good shelter and general peace of mind.
What could you say about the last government of AbdulFatah Ahmed as governor of kwara, did you had any conflict with him?
No, he was governor for eight years, I never had any issue with him, I was also busy in my professional office doing my work. I became Chairman of the party just few months before the elections and what joined us was planning and campaigning for the elections together we didn’t really have any much issue together. We both attended meetings as an when due, as the paryy chairman, we campaigned together, there was no issue beyond that but during tose period, he didn’t disappoint me on any issue.
Elites like you do not like to join politics because they say politics is dirty, what advice for them on the beauty of politics and democracy?
I hear that insinuations that politics is dirty, the truth is, politics is not dirty, it is the people playing politics that are dirty. My advice to other professional out there is that if we live politics to wrong people, they would attain heights in governance and be the ones dictating our fate. Personally, that is why I am still in politics, I have many friends who ask me what are you doing in politics? The best way to approach the challenges in politics is by coming in to sanitize the system. By the time we have good number of professionals in politics, all these riff raff in the system would become marginalized and would find their levels. That is what happens in the advanced countries. They don’t leave their fate in the hands of riff raff to manage. Doing same in Nigeria we shall someday reach our promised land in political pursuits and democracy in Nigeria. It may be rough at the initial stages but as time goes on, things shall take normal shape.
What advise do you have for Nigerian government over the recent Xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa?
Ot is unfortunate that such is happening but I think the Nigerian government is taking the right steps. Dialogue is the way out. Both governments should sit down and talk about this challenge. The officials at Ministerial level, diplomatic level, Ambassadorial level and so on. When tis is done the message will go down to the citizens and the law enforcement agents will also do the needful in passing out caution where and when necessary.
Thank you for your time sir.
You are welcome
