By
Musa Idris Buko
I discovered that the ruling party and her supporters in Kwara had developed Sarakiphobia (the fear of Saraki), I wondered why this is so. Rather than this Sarakiphobic tendencies, the APC should have been more focused or worried on its failed promises to the electorates, and not meeting up with the needs of Kwarans, because Saraki is not on the ballot for any position in 2023.
How Saraki/PDP that left governance for about 4 years now became a nightmare for the APC supporters is not only amazingly shocking, but also not justifiable. How do we keep blaming Saraki or the PDP for the failure of today? Leadership is responsibility, and until we take responsibility for yesterday, today and use the knowledge/experience acquired therein to chart a better today and tomorrow in a sustainable manner, we would forever remain stagnant and continue the blame games.
Has the APC government that cheaply rode on the platter of People’s trust in 2019 been able to fulfill and implement minimum yearnings of the electorates on the benchmark of;
- Need?
- Sustainability?
- Addressing Future Problems?
- Quality Service Delivery?
- Comparative Advantage?
- Timeliness?
- Equity, Fairness And Justice? This makes it very imperative to ask the following pertinent questions:
✅ Is it Saraki/PDP/Sarakites that denied Kwara Northerners KWASU VC, Accountant-General of the State between 2019 till date?
✅ Is it Saraki/PDP/Sarakites that removed a democratically elected Council and installed TIC lickspittles, that had been pronounced by court(s) of competent jurisdiction as illegal? The consequence is destruction of LGA’s management, administration and incapacitation to perform minimum functions.
✅ Is it Saraki/PDP/Sarakites that compelled the present APC administration to use multibillion naira State resources; of which Baruten for instance contributes the most for rolling stone that gathers no moss projects such as;
- Virtual Arts Centre
- Innovation and Technology Hub
- Garment Factory
- Tunde Idiagbon Flyover
- Yebumot Al-hikmah Road
- International Conference Centre
While very crucial Ilesha-Gwanara Road not even initiated by this administration remains snaily executed and uncompleted?
✅ Likewise, is it Saraki/PDP/Sarakites that made the KWASU Campus in Ilesha-Baruba, inherited by this administration practically considered worthless and unimportant to be completed in almost 4 years of governance?
✅ Is it Saraki/PDP/Sarakites that collected multibillion naira loans with nothing to write home about or show as completed projects for the huge loans?
✅ Is it Saraki/PDP/Sarakites that superitends over Kwara’s affair since 2019 till date that is characterized by crassly lopsided appointments, recruitments, and constitution of Boards of MDAs against the people of Kwara North?
✅ Is Saraki/PDP/Sarakites responsible for the poor or incomplete constitution of Board of SUBEB, against the extant laws of the Agency? While multimillion naira contracts and projects are awarded and executed, Who then represents KN in equitable, fair, and just distribution of these things in the Board?
✅ Is it Saraki/PDP/Sarakites that sacked the State Auditor-General after raising genuine concerns on billions of Naira spent without receipt?
✅ Is it under Saraki/PDP/Sarakites’ watch that the Kwara State House of Assembly sabotaged LG Autonomy in the recent constitution amendment exercise?
✅ Is it Saraki/PDP/Sarakites that stopped the KWHA from passing the FOI Bill that is a sine qua non for good governance that is anchored on openness, transparency and accountability?
✅ Is it Saraki/PDP/Sarakites that directed the KWHA to in a twinkle of an eye, abolish Kwara State Ex Governor’s Pension Law, while allowing for instance, the unprogressive Kwara State JAAC Law that “robs Peter to pay Paul” continues? In 2020 alone, Baruten and Kaiama LGAs lost over #1.6B due to this syndrome as reported by ENetSuD’s perusal of LG Auditor-General’s Report.
✅ Did Saraki/PDP/Sarakites compelled at gunpoint, the army of electorates (most of whom were part of the failed Otoge movement), who always troop out en mass across the State to embrace the “Osuwa” slogan each time Saraki/PDP/Sarakites go out for campaign?
✅ As at June 2022, out of the 25 Bills passed by the KWHA as reported by ENetSuD (a reputable CSO), only 5 Bills were initiated by the entire 24 KWHA Members, while a whooping 20 Bills were pushed executively by His Excellency Gov. AA; making him practically the 25th and most efficient than the 24 Members combined. Is Saraki/PDP/Sarakites also responsible for this mess of the sanctity of checks and balances in a functional democracy?
✅ Is Saraki/PDP/Sarakites responsible for the flagrant disregard or outright abuse of basic bureaucratic rules of succession, and disengagement that is threatening the sanctity of the Civil Service?
✅ Is Saraki/PDP/Sarakites responsible for APC’s insensitivity, and denial of Kwara North’s equitable, fair, and just demand to produce a Governor from that Senatorial District for the State?
✅ Most importantly, will Saraki/PDP/Sarakites be tendered as the excuse for the present wanton failures of APC leadership when questioned by Angels in the grave and on the Day of Qiyamah?
Conclusively, leadership is a trust and responsibility, and requires lot of courage to be discharged successfully. Not taking responsibility is the beginning of unrepenting failures.
Blame games or buck-passing is needless, and not a quality of good and responsible leadership or political party. Good leadership requires solving problems and meeting the yearnings of the people and community on the touchstones of needs, sustainability, addressing future problems, quality service, priorities and timeliness. I will not occupy an office today, and make condemnation of past occupants of same office a national anthem. You practically demonstrate good leadership by doing your best and let the people being served be the judge. The earlier the present APC administration in Kwara takes responsibility in the remaining days of its ending governance, the better.
As for me, and other Candidates in PDP, we are very much prepared and ready to take responsibilities for the past, and present in order to chart a better future for our people and communities. We will leverage on the powers enshrined in the Constitution to advance bills that bridge need-based gaps in both human capital development and infrastructure.
May Allah guide and protect us to the right path. May He (SWT) forgive our shortcomings.
Musa Idris Buko
Writes from Baruten LGA, Kwara North
Monday, 13th Feb. 2023
